


Are we ready for this?

by Fuck_The_Gods



Series: The road to parenthood [1]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV), Spartacus: Vengeance
Genre: Fluff, Goat Farm, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, POV Agron, POV Nasir, Post-Canon, Sexual Content, jealous Nasir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-08-27 04:14:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 42,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8386816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fuck_The_Gods/pseuds/Fuck_The_Gods
Summary: After a trip to find food and equipment for the rebellion, Agron comes back to the temple with more than just that. But are he and Nasir ready to face the consequences?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer : I do not own Spartacus or any of its characters. They all belong to Starz and S. DeKnight. I'm just playing with their universe.
> 
> Hello everyone! This is my first fanfiction ever and it had to be about Nagron because I'm totally in love with them!  
> English isn't my first language and it's unbeta'd so I'm sorry for any mistakes I could've made (especially with the use of past tenses, they are still a mystery to me).  
> This is entirely written in modern language because I'm just incapable to write in this weird speak they used in the show; I'm not that good of a writer but I still wanted to write in the canon universe so here we are...Hope you guys don't mind (too much) :)  
> Rated M for swearing (because, eh!, Agron ;)) and sexy times (nothing really explicit, I suck at writing smut)  
> Comments and kudos would be very appreciated! Good reading ! <3

****  
Agron, Donar and a few others of the former gladiators of Batiatus' ludus left the temple just before dawn. Spartacus, the leader of the rebellion, asked them to go hunting so that all the people, ex-slaves and gladiators alike, that were following and trusting them with their lives could eat properly.  
What little food they recovered from the last villa they attacked was almost run out so the hunting trip was more than necessary.

Sword in hand, Agron walked within the forest trying to be as discreet as he could be. As the time passed his mind started to wander: he didn't want to be here, he wanted to be where he felt he belonged : in Nasir's loving embrace. Though he knew he couldn't say no to his best friend and leader, the only thing he wanted to do was to take advantage of his lover's warm body for yet a few hours.

The noise of steel against steel and ragged breaths took Agron out of his thoughts.

“Fuck”, he whispered before he started to make his way towards the battle.

Donar and his fellow gladiators were fighting against a dozen Roman soldiers. Without surprise the rebel warriors were far superior, if not in number, in skill they definitely were.  
They took care of the poor Roman fucks quickly before Agron realised that their ennemies were travelling with a cart. As he approched the cart he told Donar who followed him : 

“Let's see what goods they kindly left for us.”

“More weapons, food and wine if we are lucky”, replied the bulky German.

“It would be a first”. Agron was rather skeptical about luck... for some good reasons. The memory of Duro, of his loss was still painful in his heart.

The two of them then started to walk in the direction of the cart when suddenly they heard the rest of their companions shouting with joy as they were looking inside the few crates gathered at the front of the cart.

“Looks like you were right after all”, said Agron smiling at Donar. “That too is a first!”, he added as his fellow gladiator elbowed him playfully in the ribs.

They finally approched the back of the cart and Agron lifted the fabric that covered it, curious as to what they would find inside. What was not his surprise at the sight before him : women, they were maybe five or six, barely dressed with torn and filthy clothes. They looked at Agron, utterly scared.

“We're not here to harm you”, soothingly said Agron in an attempt to reassure them. “Me and my friends here are former slaves, like you are now, and we fight the Romans alongside Spartacus and his rebel army.”

At the mention of Spartacus, the women visibly relaxed; their shoulders less stiff while their eyes widened with surprise and relief. Then they started to come out of the cart after Agron waved them with his hand to do so.

As soon as the last of the women were out, Agron ordered them all to follow him as he made his way back to the temple and Nasir. But a weak hand was suddenly on his left forearm so he turned round to see a young woman standing behind him, not quite looking at him in the eyes. She seemed very young, around Nasir's age perhaps even younger, and pretty despite all the grime that covered her. Her long red hair were dancing around her face due to the light morning breeze.

“I'm sorry but there is still someone in the cart”, she said hesitantly, bowing her head as if she was afraid of the big German man in front of her. “A little girl. She doesn't want to come out”.

“Why?” replied Agron, surprise evident in his tone. He couldn't fathom the idea of not wanting to be free.

“She's scared. She lost her parents when the Romans enslaved us a few weeks ago and she has refused physical contact with any of us ever since. Gods know what they did to her... what... what they would have done to us... have you not found us”, she stuttered.

While talking she started to shake as the horrors of the last events, from the attack of her village and the slaughter of her family and friends that followed to the collar put around her neck, came back into her mind.

Agron being Agron, he didn't really know what to do as he watched her sinking further and further into despair. Slowly he lifted his hand and tentatively patted her shoulder. He wasn't completely comfortable here but he tried his best to reassure her, to let her know that she was no longer in danger.

After a time that felt like an age to the German warrior, the girl eventually calmed down. She then looked at Agron, her bright blue eyes locking with his for the first time, a tiny smile blossoming on her face.

“Apologies”, she murmured simply as he withdrew his hand.

“They are not necessary, you know. We have all suffered in the hands of the Roman shits”, told her Agron, anger steadily rising up as he recalled the stories Nasir told him about his days as body slave and the abuses he endured under the unforgiving hands of his former Dominus... or those of his guests. “You'll learn how to live free and happy again and to find a new purpose in your life.”

At those words the cheeks of the girl seemed to redden but Agron thought that maybe it was because of the chill and not because of what he had said.

“Excuse me, I don't think I asked you your name”, he apologized.

“I am called Anaya”, she answered with a smile on her lips.

“Agron”, he told her with a nod. Then, “Well Anaya, we should go find that little girl and try to convince her to come with us. It's not wise to stay here, we are easy prey for the Romans.”

He smiled back at her, his dimples on full display before he took the direction of the cart, not seeing Anaya biting her bottom lip and her cheeks turning a deep red.

Standing once again at the back of the cart but with Anaya beside him this time around, Agron looked inside and indeed there was a little form in the dark corner curled up on itself.

“Hello”, he quietly whispered, not wanting to frighten her more than she was already was.

“You need to come with us. These people are taking us somewhere safe”, added Anaya.

Silence was their only answer. After a minute or two however the little girl lifted her head, her light brown hair sticking to her face with all the tears she has shed. Her swollen eyes, brown as well, settled on Agron then narrowed as if she was trying to tell if the intentions of the two adults before her were genuine.

“You promise?” she asked in a weak high-pitched voice, still looking Agron in the eyes even though he wasn't the one who tried to comfort her.

“We'll do whatever we can to protect you and everyone whose desire is to be free of Rome”, assured the German kneeling at the end of the cart so that he looked less intimidating.

Then the little girl, albeit reluctantly, stood up and tiny step after tiny step, made her way out of the cart. But instead of taking the hand that Anaya offered to help her descent, the kid threw herself in Agron's arms.

Well, that was unexpected!

Instinctively his arms wrapped themselves around the little form as her arms tightened their grip around Agron's neck.

“Ummm”, mumbled Agron, completely at a loss as to what he was supposed to do or say. The German's never been comfortable around children.

Since he was of age his father taught him and his brother how to fight so that they could protect their tribe. Then, during an attack on their village by Roman soldiers that saw the brothers defeated at the end, the Germans were enslaved then bought by Batiatus, a wealthy Roman citizen who owned a ludus. There Agron and Duro were taught to become gladiators under the supervision of Doctore and his whip. Their sole purpose was to bring glory to the ludus during their fights in the arena.

Then Spartacus, a brother gladiator and champion of the arena, spoke of rebellion; and they did rebel... but not without blood and tears being spilled in the process. Duro, his baby brother sacrificed himself to save Agron's life, allowing him to gain his freedom.

And now he was fighting for the rebellion, for freedom, for people that wanted nothing but to live in peace far from Rome and its perversions. But most of all he was fighting for Nasir, the man who held his heart, for a future together.

Throughout all his life Agron has been a fighter, a warrior. He knew next to nothing about children, he didn't know how to interact with them. So it was with a lot of embarrassment that Agron secured the little girl in his arms before walking towards the rest of his companions, Anaya following close behind.

Once he was level with them, he tried to ignore the smirk on Donar's face. He was sure that once they're back at the temple, his friend would be more than happy to tell everyone that he was forced to play the babysitter. He could already hear the laughter Crixus would throw at him... 'Fucking Gaul', he growled internally.

During all the travel back, the kid stayed clung to Agron in his great disarray; he made a few attempts to put her down or to put her in Anaya's arms but the little girl refused adamantly. He couldn't wait to give her to someone who actually knew how to take care of her.

When they finally arrived the first thing that Agron did was to look for his Syrian lover in the thick crowd that were gathering at the entrance of the temple once their arrival has been announced.


	2. Chapter 2

Nasir woke up that morning to a cold bed in that little alcove that he and Agron had claimed for themselves. It was narrow and only consisted of a bed, a table, two chairs and a chest where to put their belongings; but it was fine by them because it was theirs and allowed them a much needed privacy. It was hard to be intimate when half the rebellion were sleeping all around you!

He knew Spartacus sent Agron hunting earlier and that his German would come back eventually but still he couldn't help the feeling of emptiness in his heart that kept showing everytime Agron wasn't by his side.

“Now is not the time for that kind of thoughts”, he chided himself out loud. He had duties, he knew it so he put aside his dark thoughts, stood up from the bed, washed himself as much as he could, dressed, yawned once or twice between all that then went ouside to the courtyard of the temple where he could already hear the characteristic noise of training he was supposed to supervise with Oenomaus.

It was noon now and Nasir was pouring himself a cup of water after a rigorous training session that left his muscles aching and his lungs burning.

That's when he heard the signal indicating a patrol's return. Knowing it was Agron's, the Syrian hurried and started to search the tall form of his German lover. Surprisingly enough it took Nasir more time than he had thought, thanks to the crowd gathered there to welcome the newcomers.

Making his way through the crowd using his elbows, Nasir finally made eye contact with some of the gladiators from the hunting trip, carrying crates and bags of food supplies and weapons. But Agron was nowhere to be seen.

'Where is he?', he wondered. He was getting worried.

Then he noticed them; the women in their muddy dresses- if you could call that dresses- and...the collars around their necks!

'Slaves', realized Nasir in a gasp, the worst-case scenario already flooding his mind. What if they encountered a Roman convoy during their trip and had to fight against a patrol of Roman soldiers? Or several? What if in the battle Agron had been wounded...or maybe...even...? That would explain why Nasir couldn't see his lover wherever he looked.

'No!' He told himself. 'Agron is the strongest of them. He is alive!'

Then, as the crowd of curious people started to thin, he saw him. Walking across the entryway of the temple with Donar by his side...and a little girl in his arms??

The relief Nasir felt when he saw his German unharmed started to fade with the sight of this kid but then completely vanished when he noticed the young 'and pretty'- his mind added against his will- woman litteraly sticking to Agron's hip.

Who was she? Obviously a slave by the collar around her neck. But what was she thinking she was doing, standing this close to HIS lover? Jealousy overtook him as he watched the trio moving further into the temple.


	3. Chapter 3

The travel back had been...weird; between the little girl still in his arms, the funny glances Donar kept sending his way and Anaya who wouldn't leave his side like a newborn pup wouldn't leave its mother, Agron wanted but one thing : that a hole suddently appears beneath him to swallow him whole. He was so embarrassed. He wanted to tell Anaya to fuck off but he didn't know how to do it without being rude. 

Because Agron had always been rude. He knew no finesse, not when he was talking, not when he was fighting, not even when he was fucking. That was a side of him that Nasir loved and that thought made him smile. 

But now he was in the company of a new-freed slave, still under shock of what happened and what she suffered under slavery. He couldn't be rude to her, Nasir wouldn't like that so he suffered her presence until the temple came into view.

'Thank the Gods', he sweared for once and immediately searched his little Syrian in the crowd.

It took him some time before he finally spotted him. While making his way towards him, Agron noticed the frown upon Nasir's face. He looked like he wasn't entirely happy with what he was seeing...but Nasir was looking right at him! Agron was really confused.

'What's going on in that smart little head of yours?' He wondered, a similar frown forming between his own brows.

Before he could try to figure it out, Mira appeared before him, stopping him in his track. She looked at Anaya and said : 

“Hi, I'm Mira. I need you to follow me so I can remove the collar and give you something to eat and a place to rest. And you also need to see the Medicus so he can tend to any wounds you could have.”

Looking unsure, Anaya turned her head to Agron seeking his guidance. Agron gave her a nod and a reassuring smile and only then the young woman consented to follow Mira who gave him a quizzical look before she turned around with Anaya and headed inside the temple. 

Finally free from Anaya's presence, Agron resumed his walk towards Nasir who had started to walk too in his direction.

“Looks like you found more than you intended during your trip”, Nasir welcomed him rather coldly. It wasn't exactly the kind of welcome he thought he'd receive from his lover. He kind of expected something...warmer. Agron wasn't entirely sure why Nasir sounded tensed. He was about to ask him if something was wrong then he remembered the little girl in his arms. She had fallen asleep a little before they reached their destination and he forgot her. She weighted nothing in his strong arms.

“This is a girl we found along with several women. They were hidden in a cart that the Romans were driving”, he explained. “Their destination were probably the closest market so they could be sold like mere animals”, he added, disgust in his mouth.

Hearing that Agron had, indeed, been confronted to Roman soldiers like he had feared, Nasir let his jealousy subsided and cupping his lover's face with his hands he whispered in a loving voice to reassure him as much as himself : 

“But you killed them all and freed the slaves.” His eyes then dropped to the kid. “And what is this miracle from the Gods that gave you the idea to take this little one in yours arms to rock her until she fell asleep?” he asked his lover with amusement.

“Actually I killed only one Roman fuck”, he sighed dramatically. “I was too busy thinking about you and how I missed you”, he added in a flirtatious tone. “By the time I joined the battle, Donar and the others had already took care of them except one.” 

While talking his eyes darkened and his smile turned feral and before Nasir could reply, Agron took Nasir's lips in his in a passionate kiss that let them both breathless once they pulled apart.

“As for her”, he continued as if nothing happened, “I don't know what she's been through but she tolerates no contact with anybody except mine. Don't ask me why, I'm as clueless as everybody.”

“Maybe she needs a strong figure to reassure her”, Nasir said, not really convinced himself by what he had just said. “Though I don't understand why she would choose you of all people, Donar looks so much more friendly than you and the perpetual scowl on your face”, he joked.

“Agron!”, a familiar voice called.

The couple turned toward it and were welcomed with the sight of Spartacus.

“I heard from Donar”, and Agron growled a little at that and steeled himself for the mockery he was sure was coming, “that you came back with your hands full.” Spartacus' lips were twitching as if he was trying to hold back a smile.

“Indeed”, he sighed, showing the sleeping girl.

“You did great, Agron. In addition to the supplies, you brought back people that will be very helpful to maintain the camp. We can't spare gladiators for simple tasks and these women are just what we needed. And surely you spared them of a horrible fate in the hands of the Romans. That's good!” Spartacus sounded proud of his right-hand man.

“Gratitude, Spartacus”, the German replied, straightening his back and clasping his forearm with the one of his leader.

“Now that you're back Agron, I need you to come with me, we need to decide our next course of action. Gannicus and Crixus are already waiting for us.”

“But what of her?” Agron asked, not sure what to do of the little girl.

“Give her to me”, said Nasir extending his arms to hold the kid. “I'll take her to our room to sleep, she looks exhausted. And I'll bring her food and water.”

Agron's gaze turned hopeful at that; oh how he loved his Little Man! But as he was about to put her in his lover's arms, she woke up and started to cry when she realized she was no longer in Agron's comforting embrace.

“Hey it's ok, you're not in danger anymore here, with me”, whispered Nasir to her, his voice calm and soothing.

“No! No!”, she cried. “I want Agron”, she whined as she struggled against Nasir's hold to regain her place in the arms of the German.

In spite of himself, Agron took back the little girl and she immediately hid her face in his neck, sniffling. Agron then looked at Nasir completely helpless while his lover returned his gaze with disappointment written all over his lovely face.

Agron knew why; Nasir loved people. Perhaps it was due to his former position as body slave or just a part of his character but he was always talking with people, always trying to help them. No matter if these people were important members of the rebellion or simple slaves on the run. Nasir was naturally friendly and that had a tendency to attract people to him in return. That this little girl refused so vehemently his company was like a personal failure to the Little Man.

Before he could say anything Spartacus spoke to Agron in an apologetic tone.

“I think it's best you remain with her. She seems only comfortable around you somehow”.

“Are you kidding? Did you see me?” Agron asked his friend, his temper quickly rising. “I am not a nanny! I have better things to do like help you with the war council.”

“Agron, I think--” started Nasir but the little girl cut him off.

“I can stay there with you”, she demanded, a spark of hope in her beautiful brown eyes.

“No”, he replied firmly. “This is not a place for little girls and you are exhausted after the events of the day, you need rest.”

“I want to stay with you”, she proclaimed once again, her voice trying to match the firm edge of Agron's.

'Stubborn kid', he thought frustrated.

“Go find me and the others once your cute little problem is fixed”, Spartacus said to Agron with an amused smile before he left them.

“Thanks for the help!” Agron sarcastically yelled after the leader of the rebellion.

Spartacus just grinned at him over his shoulder as he climbed the few steps of the temple and disappeared inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Nasir looked at Agron. His lover didn't know what to do and it showed. He wanted to help but for some reasons the little girl refused. So he tried another approach.

“What is your name?” he asked her gently. She looked at him but said nothing. Nasir lifted an eyebrow at Agron, expecting his lover to answer for her but he just shrugged his shoulders.

“You don't know? She spent I don't know how many hours in your arms but you didn't ever bother or think to ask her name?” Nasir exclaimed in disbelief.

“I had other things on my mind!” he defended himself.

“Things such as...”

“Being careful while we were travelling back so we wouldn't encounter any more Romans...or how long it would take me to return to your arms.”

Nasir rolled his eyes at that. “Really Agron you should have asked her”, he scolded his lover though his eyes were still looking at him fondly.

During the exchange, the little girl remained silent, observing Agron and his lover that she started to find friendly.

“Filia”

The two men stared at each other then at the little girl, not sure of what they heard.

“Filia? Is it your name?” Nasir asked.

“Yes” Filia confirmed simply to the Syrian.

“Can I ask you a question?” Nasir continued now that they seemed to have break the ice.

“Yes”, she said again.

“Why do you allow noboby besides Agron to touch you or be near you?” he asked cautiously.

Filia looked at Agron straight in the eyes a painful expression on her face and said “You look like him.”

“Like who?”

“Like my big brother. He disappeared when...when...” she stuttered, tears filling her eyes.

Nasir hesitantly reached for her and wiped the lone tear that fell from her rosy cheek. He couldn't imagine what kind of horrors she widnessed but at such a young age, around 5 or 6 as Nasir saw it, even the smallest violence could have a devastating effect on a child; and if Filia widnessed the death of her brother...Nasir didn't want to think about the side-effects of such a trauma. It would probably haunt her for the rest of her life.

'Like Duro's death will haunt Agron for the rest of his', Nasir thought sadly. 

He was content though, that Filia seemed to trust him now and so he took his chance.

“Would you now come with me? We could rest a little then eat or we could search for proper clothes for you? What do you say?” Nasir asked with a big smile on his face.

As Filia thought about his proposition, Nasir caught Agron looking at him fondly and he returned the smile with the same tenderness. Then Filia asked Agron to put her down and without a word she took Nasir's hand and waited patiently.

“You can trust him”, assured the German. “He is the one who holds my heart and there is no gentler being in the world.”

Nasir flushed and he lowered his head in an attempt to hide the redness on his cheeks as a shy smile blossomed on his lips. The former slave still wasn't used to be at the receiving end of such love and devotion. The child for her part nodded in understanding.

“Will you come back soon?” she asked nevertheless.

“I cannot promise but I will try. Now go with Nasir and try to rest a little.” He leaned in to peck briefly his Syrian on the lips, patted Filia's tousled hair and turned to join Spartacus. Nasir crouched down before the little girl as she yawned.

“Ready?” he asked.

Filia simply nodded, smiling and then the two of them took the direction of Nasir's and Agron's room to take a nap.


	5. Chapter 5

The sun was already set in the horizon when Agron finally returned to his room. The reunion with Saprtacus, Gannicus and Crixus took longer than he had thought. None of them were capable to agree about what to do next and Crixus took pleasure in disapproving any ideas Agron suggested. Moreover, the Gaul simply couldn't stop mocking him about the little girl...of course he couldn't! He wasn't a Gaul for nothing. Agron wanted nothing more than to punch him right in his teeth to erase that annoying smile from his face.

“Fucking Gaul”, he growled under his breath for the hundredth time since he left the three gladiators, as he put aside the piece of material used to separate his and Nasir's room from the rest of the temple.

The sight he was welcomed by as he entered the room was one of wonder. Nasir and Filia were on the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of each other and laughing. Laughing hard. So hard that the little girl had to wipe away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

Hours ago, the child was completely reluctant to anyone's company but Agron's and now she was perfectly comfortable in his lover's presence.

'That's Nasir's power at work', Agron thought in amazement. Only a cold-hearted fuck would be insensible to Nasir's charm.

“I am curious”, he said in a contagious laugh, “what caused this?”

“Agron!” Filia exclaimed before jumping on her short legs to welcome him. “What took you so long?” she asked him with a frown.

“I am sorry, I came as fast as I could.”

“Don't make it a habit”, Nasir purred with a mischievous smile as he stood as well.

Agron grinned back while Filia looked back and forth between the two men, oblivious to the insinuation of their banter.

“But I want him to come back early so we can all play together”, she protested innocently. Agron and Nasir looked at each other and then bursted in laughter. “I'm serious!”, she pouted as she crossed her arms on her chest.

“I know little one and I am sorry”, he apologized again. “Usually the reunion does not take so long, it's just that Fucking Gaul that complicates everything. He's too stupid to understand a thing but I imagine it is to be expected with a Gaul”, he sighed.

As Nasir was about to add something, Filia's stomach growled furiously. She looked at her feet, blushing.

“Have you not eat already?” Agron asked, surprised.

“We ate some fruit earlier this afternoon but we were waiting for you for the evening meal”, replied his lover.

“Let's go then.” Agron turned towards the door but before he could disappear in the corridor, Filia took his hand and lifted her other hand for Nasir to take. The young Syrian accepted it shyly before the three of them made their way to the courtyard where the meals were served.

'What are we getting into?' Agron wondered. It was not easy for him, a proud warrior, a former gladiator, to accept this situation.

'Time to swallow that pride', he told himself as they entered the courtyard and every single head that were present turned in their direction; the noises of clinking cups and plates as well as laughter and conversations stopped. No doubt that two of the most trusted rebels holding hands with a little girl was not a common sight.


	6. Chapter 6

“Fuck the Gods”, Nasir heard his lover mutter under his breath. He chuckled and Agron glared at him.

“Relax”, he told to his German, “they won't think less of you because you show some kindness.”

“Maybe not all of them but some will. The fucking Gaul--”

“Since when do you care for what Crixus thinks and says?” countered Nasir.

Agron said nothing. Nasir knew he had a point and Agron knew it too. Ignoring the other rebels, Nasir tugged Filia's hand who tugged Agron's and together they made their way towards Naevia who was serving the evening meals to everyone.

“Hey you!” Naevia welcomed them. She kneeled before the little girl. “You must be our newest recruit. What is your name, child?” she asked with an encouraging smile. Filia, however, was not prone to answer her and she let go of Agron's and Nasir's hand to hide behind the German's legs.

“Aww, isn't she sweet”, Naevia said as she get up.

“Her name is Filia”, Nasir answered for her. “She is not very comfortable around anyone except for the two of us yet. I tried during the day to make her interact with some of the others but she refused”, the Syrian added, sounding somewhat defeated that he failed to make her socialize.

“I imagine that it will take some time, don't worry Nasir”, Naevia comforted him.

“Gratitude, Naevia”, he thanked her as he took the plates of food for him, his lover and Filia as well as cups of wine and water. The little troop then left her to search a place to eat.

They found one on the highest steps of the temple. They settled there, Filia sitting between the two men, and started to eat some cheese with bread. They ate in a comfortable silence for some time.

“You told Naevia that you made Filia meet with some of the others. Who was it?” Agron eventually asked.

“Well, I had to return to my duties beside Oenomaus so after the nap Filia took just after you left, we came back here to supervise the training of the new recruits. So she met Oenomaus, Donar and Saxa for now.”

“Saxa? No wonder then that she didn't want to talk”, Agron scoffed at his lover.

“She is frightening, agreed Filia in a way that showed she didn't really mean it and was rather amused by the German woman's behaviour. That made the two men laughed.

At the far end of the courtyard Nasir spotted the young woman he saw earlier that day in Agron's company. She was now free from the slave collar and wore a white dress that left her right shoulder bare. Her red hair were pulled back in a high ponytail except for the few shorter locks framing her young face. Nasir had to admit that she was beautiful and he was not the only one to have noticed. He could see a gladiator here and there staring at her with hungry eyes.

She was in a deep conversation with another of the new-freed women slaves and as he wondered what they could be discussing of, Nasir realized that the woman was ogling Agron every two seconds. The jealousy he had succeded to suppress came back in full force and he couldn't smother the growl that was rising up in his throat.

Of course it didn't escape to Agron's attention.


	7. Chapter 7

“Nasir?” he asked but the Syrian said nothing and continued to stare -or glare Agron thought it was a more appropriate word- at something or someone in the courtyard. Agron followed the gaze of his lover to finally find Anaya who was looking right back at him.

'Noooo it can't be that', Agron thought when the different pieces of the puzzle started to assemble in his mind. Nasir had seemed annoyed when he returned from the trip this morning and Anaya had been at his side then. And now the girl was looking at him. When Anaya waved and smiled at him, Nasir let out another growl but louder this time.

“Nasir”, he called again with the hint of the smile in his voice. Nasir still ignored him. “Don't tell me that you are jealous of Anaya?” he asked even though he knew he was.

Nasir turned his head back to him. “Anaya?” he snarled, his eyes narrowing. “You were too busy to ask the name of a frightened little girl but OF COURSE”, he emphasized the words, “you had time to ask hers”, he added while pointing an accusing finger towards Anaya.

Taken aback by the sudden outburst of his Little Man, Agron was incapable to say anything, his mouth gaped open.

During the minute or two that followed, Nasir didn't blink once and his brown eyes stayed locked with the green ones of Agron. As for Filia, the little girl feeling that the mood had changed, went to sit between the German's legs, thus moving away from Nasir.

Finally Agron took a deep breath. “You have nothing to worry about, Nasir”, he muttered quietly as if it was an obviousness because, in fact, it was. “She means nothing to me. You are the only one my heart will ever beat for...you know that, right?” he asked as he took Nasir's chin in his hand and caressed his bottom lip with his thumb. While doing so he tried to convey as much love as he was capable of with his eyes.

Nasir pulled his hand away and stood. “It's late.”, he stated in a neutral voice. It was impossible for the German to know what his Syrian was thinking. “I am going to bed.”

And just like that, Nasir was gone.

'Fuck the Gods!' He cursed. 'What the fuck just happened?'

He was about to stand up as well and follow Nasir but Anaya was suddenly standing in front of him and Filia.

“I see that your friend is gone. May I join?” she asked, pointing the empty spot between Agron and the wall left by Nasir.

“I am sorry, I was about to leave myself”, he apologized calmly, though there was an edge to his voice that showed that he was upset.

“Oh”, she simply said, clearly disappointed. “In that case I hope I'll see you tomorrow...?” The expression on her face turned hopeful and she smiled brightly.

But Agron was barely listening to her as he stood, Filia at his side, and he didn't even bother to answer her before he turned and climbed the steps of the temple to join Nasir in their room.

When he entered, the room was in a dim light due to the candles burning on either side of the bed. Nasir was lying there beneath the blanket, his back turned to him, apparently asleep. It made him sad to think that Nasir seemed to have so little faith in him that he believed something could happen between him and Anaya. He had to make his lover see reason before it went too far.

He was about to strip when he remembered Filia beside him. He looked down at her. “You are going to need a bed.”

“Can't I sleep with you?”

“I am not sure this is a good idea. Besides, I think the bed isn't big enough for the three of us.”

“I am very tiny”, she pointed out.

Agron took a moment to think about this. If not with them, where Filia could sleep tonight? She was not ready yet to tolerate anyone else's presence so letting her sleep in the same room than a stranger was out of the question. And there wasn't enough place in the temple to allow her to have a room for herself.

“Alright”, he conceded with a sigh. He would have prefered to be alone with Nasir tonight. He desperately wanted to have a chance to talk to his lover some more.

Sighing again he approached the bed and waved at Filia to do the same. He lifted the little girl from the floor and put her on the bed beside Nasir.

“No. I want to be on the other side”, she said as she moved on the bed to place herself at the egde so that the spot she let vacant in the middle was for Agron to take.

“Are you afraid of him?” Agron asked, a light frown forming between his eyebrows. After all the progress that Nasir had accomplished with her, Agron didn't want that all of that had been made in vain.

Filia dropped her eyes, she didn't want Agron to be mad at her for that but...”A little”, she admitted.

As he opened his mouth to reply, Agron caught a movement from the corner of his eye. He turned slightly his head toward it and saw Nasir's shoulders tense.

'So he is awake after all.'

Seeing this as an opportunity, he explained to Filia “Nasir would never harm you or anyone. He is just mad at me although he has no reason to. But sometimes when a person loves another one very much, maybe too much, it happens that this person imagines things that don't exist. But Nasir is a smart man, he will come to reason. Eventually. He has to.” His voice had softened while he spoke and his throat was tight with raw emotions.

He took a deep breath then another to calm his nerves and went to sit on the bed between Filia and Nasir. He wanted to remove his subligaria like he always did but then he thought better of it. Maybe it was not wise to let his manhood to the sight of a six year old girl; so he just let go of his sword that were hanging on his hip. He leaned over her to blow the candles on her side of the bed, letting the ones on Nasir's side burning slowly. Then he laid on his back and let Filia nestled herself at his side and within minutes the little girl was sound asleep, her steady breath tickling Agron's ribs.

Agron knew that Nasir was still awake and he wanted to talk more with him about the events of the day. Disengaging himself from Filia with careful movements as to not wake her, Agron turned to Nasir. He put a hand on his shoulder and tugged lightly; he would not force Nasir if his lover didn't want to talk. Nasir didn't resist however and he turned on his other side to face Agron.

The look of guilt and utter pain on the Syrian's face made Agron's heart shattering to pieces.

“I am sorry if my actions led you to such foolish thoughts”, the gladiator apologized in a whisper. “I should have never--”, he wanted to continue but Nasir's forefinger on his lips prevented him from doing so.

“I should be the one to apologize, not you. My reaction earlier was childish, I am sorry. I am not mad at you. You hold my heart and you always will until the Gods remove us from this world”, he vowed to his German.

Then he moved closer to his love and not letting him the time to answer anything, he took Agron's head in his hands to pull him down and into a harsh kiss.

It was all teeth and tongues for a few minutes, a way for the both of them to re-establish their claim on the other. Then the kiss turned softer and Nasir moaned into it. That made Agron wanting more so without breaking the kiss he moved to position himself above his lover and between his legs, not putting all of his weight on Nasir, aware of the wound on his left side even though it was completely healed now. They finally broke the kiss, the need for air too important. As they breathed heavily into each other's mouth, their eyes met full of apologies and forgiveness, of love and lust.

As he leaned down for another kiss, Agron heard movements beside him. He turned his head and then he remembered. Filia. The child was right next to them on the bed, sleeping peacefully. They couldn't do anything as long as she stayed there.

Dropping his head in defeat, he kissed Nasir's chest tenderly, as if in apology, and returned on his back on the bed.

'Fuck! We really need to find her a place to sleep. The sooner, the better.'

He turned his head to the side when he heard the Little Man laughing softly.

“We'll find a way”, he assured Agron with amusement, as if he had been able to read the German's mind.

“I know”, he said, reaching a hand to caress the Syrian's cheek. “You have always been resourceful”, he grinned. His hand traveled to Nasir's nape to tangle his fingers up his raven black hair and with little force he brought him against his chest as Nasir's arm went around the German's waist.

Agron kissed the top of his head and tightening his hold on his lover, he let himself fall into a well-deserved slumber; his mind appeased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! More chapters are coming :) big thanks to those who left kudos,they are very appreciated!


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Nasir woke up with a heavy heart. It was still early, the moon was still present in the dark sky, though the sun would be up in a few hours. The temple wzs quiet. Everyone was still sleeping. But Nasir's thoughts prevented him of any more sleep, they kept showing in his mind without pause. What a fool he had been. He often reproached Agron for his jealous and possessive side, yet he acted the exact same way yesterday. He spoke without thinking and let his anger take control of his tongue.

Agron taught him how to fight after he and Spartacus freed him from his former life, he showed him how to be strong of mind and body; qualities that had made Nasir fall for the German with time. But apparently he also taught him (without Nasir's knowledge) to lose his temper quickly and without any real provocation; that was a flaw Nasir didn't want to have in common with Agron, even though he fell for that part of him as well, because that had a tendency to lead Agron to many fist fights, mostly with Crixus.

Still sprawled over the large and muscular body of his lover, Nasir lifted his head to look at his serene, sleeping face and thought:

'You change my life and my self in more ways than one, it would seem.'

He sighed. Agron's temper was somthing he could be fond of sometimes because it could be a powerful turn-on for the both of them when they were in the right mood but he was not sure he was fond of that temper being a part of HIS character. It just wasn't him.

Then he dropped his gaze to Filia. She was still sleeping, curled up on Agron's other side. It really was something to behold : the giant gladiator and the fragile little girl. Nasir thought they were cute together. Filia was so comfortable around the German, it was as if she had always known him. And Agron...Nasir was convinced that his lover had a soft spot for her, though he would never admit it. Too much pride. And he could proclaim as much as he wanted that he was not made for taking care of a child, Nasir thought he was doing good so far.

The Syrian then wondered. For how long was she supposed to stay with them? Agron and Nasir were both warriors, always in the frontline on the battlefield taking risks and getting injured and if something happened to any of them, who would take care of her then? It was important for Filia to understand that she was safe with any of the rebels if one day she found herself without the protection of the two lovers.

But for now, Nasir had to regain Filia's trust in him. He knew he frightened her when he was shouting at Agron during yesterday's meal and he even had the confirmation of it when she admitted it to Agron when Nasir was feigning to be asleep. He was ashamed of his behaviour, it was not worthy of him. He just hoped he could make amends to her so he could be trustworthy again in her eyes. Because yes, Nasir liked the little girl very much and he wanted her to have faith in him and he wanted to be as close to her as she was close to his lover.

First step : make apologies.

Nasir put away from his lover and stood. He put on his clothes that consisted on simpme linen breeches and Agron's coat. He took a second to breathe in the scent : it was something he could not put words on but at the same time it was so Agron. It was powerful and it made his head spin. That's why he loved wearing his coat even if it was way to big for his small stature, wherever Nasir went Agron was with him in a way. Then he slipped into his boots and headed towards the corner where there was a bucket of water and a cloth so he could wash his face and make the sleep still in his eyes go away. Once it was over he left to go find food to bring back to Agron and Filia.

'Maybe she will be more prone to forgive me with a belly full of food', Nasir thought, though he could not help but think that it was some sort of blackmail : trading food against forgiveness.

Shaking his head, Nasir walked down corridors until he arrived in the small store room. He picked a large plate and searched inside crates and bags of foos.

Thanks to Agron's expedition, they had now lots of supplies. And it was a good thing since the size of the rebellion kept growing with each passing day. Spartacus wanted to welcome within the rebellion every single person that was an enemy of Rome; whether this person was an able warrior, a simple cook or even just an old man or woman, it did not matter to their leader.

Everyone is of equal worth, he used to say.

Without that generosity, that some of the rebels saw as a weakness, Nasir would have been dead himself for Agron had wanted his head after he had made attempt on Spartacus' life. After all, Nasir was just a body slave back then, what use cohld he be of for the rebellion? But their leader was a kind soul and he had offered Nasir a second chance so he could prove himself. And he did, he now stood as a skilled warrior and a man of trust. For that, the Syrian would always be grateful to the Thracian.

Nasir collected as much food as he could on his plate : dry meat, bread, goat cheese, grapes, dates. Nasir had a secret love for dates, in small part because he loved their sweetness and in big part because Agron loved to taste their sweetness on Nasir's tongue. Once the plate was full, Nasir made his way back to his room.

Taking a deep breath, he entered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and leaving kudos, they are really appreciated :) Don't hesitate and tell me what you think of the story, what you liked and what you didn't so I can improve :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still from Nasir's POV

Agron was up, washed and dressed in his subligaria. He was crouched beside the bed near Filia and was whispering into her ear. The muscles beneath his broad shouders were dancing with the movements of his arms as he slowly caressed the girl's head in an obvious attempt to comfort her.

"Is she alright?" he asked with concern.

"I wanted to go find you while she was still sleeping but not minutes after I left the room, I hears her crying and asking for me. I came back here and made her go back to bed. She is just starting to fall asleep again", Agron told him without stoping his motions or looking back at him.

"Sorry, I did not mean to cause her any more harm. I should have wake you and warn you I was leaving. I wanted to bring you both some food for morning meal", Nasir apologized in a small voice as he lowered his eyes to the ground. The guilt in his voice was evident.

At that, Agron stood and turned back to his lover. He approached and once he was in reach, he cupped Nasir's face with his hands and lifted his head to make the Little Man look at him.

"You are not at fault for this Nasir. I should have never left her alone; after all she has been through, it was not wise. She probably panicked when she realized there was no one else in the room. We will have to be more careful next time."

"Next time?" Nasir questionned with a raised eyebrow and a smile on his lips. "You plan on keeping her?" His smile widened when the cheeks of his German blushed a little.

Agron didn't have the opportunity to reply because he heard footsteps behind him and seconds later, Filia was standing right next to him. She looked up at Nasir. She didn't seem to be particularly afraid of the Syrian and Nasir was so relieved that he let out a shaky breath.

He put the plate of food on the table nearby before kneeling in front of her. He took her tiny hand in his and seeing that she didn't recoil from the touch, he squeezed gently and smiled at her.

"I am so sorry for my actions, it was not my intentions to frighten you", he apologized, hoping that she would understand.

"I know, Agron told me. Arguing is something that people do when they love each other. I know because Mother and Father were always doing that." Sadness appeared on her face at the mention of her parents but it did not linger. "You are forgiven but I do not want you to hurt Agron again", she added in a very serious tone that did not really match with her innocent and youthful face.

Nasir smothered the chuckle in his throat; it was odd to be scolded by a child but he knew how much Agron meant for Filia so he simply nodded in agreement. He dropped a light kiss on her hand before he stood up. While doing so he caught Agron's eyes. Relief and happiness like Nasir had never seen before in his lover's eyes were washing over the German's face as he smiled brightly.

Nasir smiled back, now that this issue was settled the weight on his shoulders lifted, allowing him to breathe more easily. "Shall we eat?" he asked, pointing at the food awaiting for them.

Without a word Filia took the plate and went to sit in the middle of the bed. She secured the plate on her lap and waited for the two men to join her.

Nasir turned to Agron and took one of his calloused hand in his. "I would have never imagined she would forgive me that easily", he confessed in a low voice.

"She is clever", the German simply replied, looking at the little girl with a thoughtful expression.

"What are you thinking about?"

"It is nothing Little Man", he said as he returned his gaze to his lover. "We can discuss this later." Then he tugged at Nasir's hand and they moved to the bed and sat on each side of Filia. She smiled happily to them both, her eyes sparkling with joy before she jumped on the food.

"What are we going to do today?" she asked as she swallowed a bit of cheese.

"I still have to train the fresh recruits this morning", Nasir answered.

She pouted then and looked at him with big puppy eyes. Nasir could almost see her bottom lip tremble with fake sadness.

Agron bursted into laughter at the sight as he leaned in to watch. "I did not lie to you when I told you she was clever!" The girl then turned to the gladiator. "I have nothing of importance to do today, except a meeting with Spartacus and the fucking Gaul later this afternoon."

He laughed softly when the face of the little girl lightened up, her smile so big that her cheeks must be hurting. "We could wandered the temple and meet some of the others", he proposed. "Naevia and Mira are very gentle and friendly, I am sure you will love them. Or we could watch Nasir 's training in the courtyard. Your choice."

"I want to watch Nasir!", she said without hesitation. "I want to know if he fights as well as you." She sounded so eager that Nasir had to laugh.

"I am a lot better", he murmured in her ear with a secret smile and Filia giggled.

Then they resumed their meal in silence as the minutes passed by, Nasir and Agron exchanging fond smiles over Filia's head.

Outside of their room, the faint noise of human activity could be heard.

"The others are up. It is time to go and tend to our own duties", the Syrian ordered. The three of them stood, leaving the empty plate on the bed and took the direction of the courtyard.

When they arrived, Oenomaus, Saxa and Donar were already there, giving orders and advises to the recruits as they were sparing with wooden swords.

In one corner, hidden by the shadow of the wall of the temple, Nasir noticed a small frame. As they approached he recognized whom it belonged : Anaya.


	10. Chapter 10

She was barely visible, hidden as she was by the shadow of the wall provoked by the rising sun but Agron noticed her immediately. And his heartbeat as well as his thoughts turned frantic.

'Fuck! What is she doing here?' Agron cursed his bad luck. Surely, it was just a coincidence; she was not following him or spying on him or something as creepy, was she? Because there was no way she would have been able to know that Agron was going to be in the couryard this morning, right?

'Just a fucking coincidence', he repeated to himself in his head.

And Nasir...Panic seized him at the thought that her presence could awaken Nasir's jealousy again. He dared a glance at his little lover from the corner of his eye and indeed, Nasir looked stiff. His back was straighter than the pillars of the temple and the tendons of his neck tensed in thick cords as he held up his chin in defiance.

Acting as if he hadn't noticed the woman, Agron dragged his lover and Filia towards the opposite wall where Oenomaus was watching the training rebels with a stern look on his dark-skinned face.

"Greetings", he said once he saw the two warriors approaching him.

"Greetings", Agron replied. He couldn't help the sideways glance in Nasir's way as the Syrian remained silent. "Filia and I will stay here and watch the training", he added while pushing the child in front of him to make her meet Oenomaus. Knowing she wasn't at ease in the presence of strangers, he kept his hands on her shoulders to reasure her and let her know she was safe.

Oenomaus dropped his dark eyes to her. "Ah yes, I have heard of her", he said, remembering his previous encounter with Filia the day before. "She seems as shy as she was yesterday. Still no improvement?" He asked to Nasir as he turned his head to the Syrian.

"No", Nasir replied distractedly, his gaze not leaving Anaya.

Frowning lightly at Nasir's lack of reaction, the older man turned his head to follow Nasir's gaze and noticed the woman in the shadows. He turned his head back to the former slave with a knowing look on his face but much to Agron's relief, Oenomaus said nothing.

"Once they are done with the training, I want you to spar with each of them, Nasir", the dark man said to him in a loud voice as if to bring him back to reality. And it worked. Nasir blinked a few times before he turned his head to Oenomaus and nodded, blushing because he had been caught staring. "You are quick; if they are able to defend themselves and fight well against you then it will be even easier once they face the Romans."

"Understood", Nasir replied before Oenomaus nodded at them and returned to his post. Nasir went to follow him but Agron's hand on his arm stopped him.

Agron said nothing but he sent a reassuring smile to his lover, begging him with his eyes to not worry about Anaya before he moved his hand to grab Nasir's chin. He lifted his head slightly as he dropped his own to kiss him softly. He didn't look at Anaya after he broke the kiss to see if she had watched him kissing Nasir but he hoped it was the case.

'I am tired of this shit. Gods, let her fucking understand she has not my interest!' He pleaded silently.

He let go of his Little Man but Nasir apparently had other plans as he grabbed Agron's neck to pull him down once more and he kissed him with such passion that a certain part of the German's body began to react to the assault of lips, teeth and probing tongue.

He didn't know how, or why, but he pulled back from Nasir's mouth. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the Syrian's face. His pupils were dilated and much darker than before, his lips were swollen and glistering with saliva and he panted slightly. He really was a sight from the Heavens, Agron thought and he wanted him so much he could take him right here, right now. But the German had some restraint and so he did nothing to appease his sudden hunger for his Little Man.

"Ahem!"

Someone cleared loudly their throat nearby and Agron dropped his eyes to see that it was in fact Filia. The little girl was looking at them with a strange look on her pale face. A mix of embarrassment, boredom and annoyance.

"You promised me we will watch Nasir fight", she reminded Agron with a pout. Then she looked at Nasir. "When will you fight? I want to see you fight so I can tell if you are really better than him, as you proclaimed."

Agron laughted. "You think you hold the sword better than me? Than a gladiator?", he asked his lover with mock offence in his voice and challenge in his bright green eyes.

"I can prove it to you if you don't believe me", Nasir answered with confidence as he smiled, accepting the German's offer.

Agron grinned. He knew why the Syrian was eager to prove himself as a capable warrior. It was because some of the rebels thought he was nothing but a boy that Agron kept at his side only to satiate his sexual appetites. Nasir was young and very beautiful, that much was true, but he was fierce, a wild little dog as Agron called him once, and more importantly he was his equal. Nasir was a formidable warrior in and outside of the battlefield and a passionnate lover and Agron loved everything about him. That's why the former body slave was by his side and not other despicable reason.

But maybe those rebels were somewhat right : yes Nasir belonged to Agron but what they didn't see is that Agron belonged to Nasir in equal measure.

"Tend to your duties towards Oenomaus first, Little Man and then you will show me", he said with a playful smile.

Then Agron kissed Nasir once again briefly in the lips before he and Filia took a sit on the temple's steps to watch the Syrian spar with the recruits, all thoughts of Anaya forgotten for the both of them.

After only a few minutes, Oenomaus was standing next to them. "Jealousy is a powerful feeling. One that could destroy everything in its path", he said with the assurance of a man who knew what he was talking about.

"Gods, I know that!", he sighed heavily as he lifted his head to the older man.

"Do not let the boy sink into its depths or you will regret it bitterly". And with that he returned to the recruits, beside Donar and Saxa that were observing Nasir sparring, leaving Agron alone with his thoughts.

Even if Nasir and he had had a discussion about Anaya and though Agron knew that Nasir believed him when he told him Anaya meant nothing, he could not deny that the jealousy and possessiveness Nasir felt were still there, deep within the Syrian's heart. He thought about the means to erase them, or at least to appease them, but how could he accomplish such a feat, when he was incapable to do it for himself?

He turned his head where Anaya was, anger rising slowly but steadily towards her. It was after all HER fault if they were in that fucking situation. SHE was to blame; she and that stupid -what?- crush on him. But surprisingly, the spot was now empty of her presence. Agron let out a sigh of relief. 'The message is fucking received!'

As the minutes then the hours went by, Agron watched Nasir evaluate each and everyone of the recruits as the Syrian attacked and countered almost every blow he received.

It was like he was dancing really, he moved with his sword so gracefully and without any apparent effort, though a thin layer of sweat could be seen on his naked torso. Sweat that made his golden skin glowing when it catched the rays of the sun. Agron found himself incapable to turn his eyes from the sight; he was completely enraptured by his Little Man. He had to have him. Now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexy times in the next chapter! Yay! Also thanks again for reading <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised you some sexy times in this chapter but as i was writting,the story took a completely different direction than what was originally planned. Sorry! Hope you'll still enjoy this chapter :)

Maybe it was the jealousy he was feeling or the adrenaline that was coursing in his veins because of the sparring, but Nasir felt a rage inside him that made him swing his sword with more strength that was probably necessary for a simple training. It was almost animalistic. He had felt that way a few times before, but it had always been during real fights against Roman dogs, when he had to fight for his life with everything he'd got.

To feel with such intensity while he was crossing sword with fellow rebels was ensettling, to say the least. But he couldn't help it and somehow it made him fight better against his temporary opponents: indeed, none of them seemed able to resist to the onslaught of the Syrian as he moved around them with such speed and agility that by the time one tried to block an attack on his front, Nasir was already at his back to knock the recruit down.

His eyes went to that woman, Anaya, again. She wasn't here anymore, she probably left to cry her eyes out in some corner of the temple after she witnessed Nasir kissing Agron. The Syrian couldn't help but feel glad as that thought crossed his mind and a devilish smirk appeared on his lips. But even if she left, he knew why she had been in the courtyard in the first place. For she had been hidden in the dark, he couldn't tell what her eyes had been laying upon; but Nasir knew. He knew that his giant gladiator was the only reason she had come 'watch' the training. But he wouldn't let her approaching him again, not ever. Agron was his and his alone;only him had the right to touch him, to feel him, to be at the receiving end of his loving green eyes and eager touches.

He realized then. He started to comprehend Agron's jealousy, what his lover was feeling every time another rebel touched him or talked to him with too much intimacy, why he reacted so violently to anyone who dared to be too familiar with Nasir. They belonged to each other, their world was a world of two and no one was allowed inside. Their love for each other was immense and passionate and all consuming and it burnt everything around them. At that moment, Nasir knew that they'd do just about anything for the other, for their safety. Even if it meant being a little bit rude to others.

As the revelation sank in, Nasir stopped fighting and his opponent, a small Gaul, though still taller than Nasir, with a tan skin and long dark blonde hair whose name he couldn't remember, took the opportunity and struck Nasir hard on the shoulder with the hilt of his sword, managing the smaller man to lose his balance and fall on the sandy floor with a groan of pain.

Not half a second later, Agron was kneeling beside him as he put his hand gently on the already bruising shoulder. The touch, however gentle and feather-light, sent a wave of pain through Nasir's body.

"Does it hurt much?" Agron asked with concern.

"By the Gods, yes!", he replied with a hiss. Whether it was a hiss of pain or anger at being bested by a recruit, Nasir himself didn't know

Then Nasir saw Agron stand on his feet and grab the rebel by the necklace he wore around his neck and he pulled hard until his face was level with the recruit's.

"What were you thinking, you filthy piece of shit?" he growled, baring his teeth in anger.

Intimidated by the towering gladiator, the young Gaul was incapable of uttering anything and he just lowered his eyes as to show to Agron that he regretted what had happened.

"It is nothing, Agron. There is no need to be harsh to the Gaul", Nasir tried to calm his lover. But maybe mentionning that the rebel that had injured him was a Gaul was probably not the wisest move and Nasir regretted his words as soon as they escaped his mouth.

"A Gaul? Should have guessed! Worthless shits all of them!", the German said with disdain as he pushed the scared young man to the ground.

Nasir watched stunned as Agron straddled the rebel and lifted his fist to punch him, but before it could land they heard someone scream. The Syrian turned his head towards it and saw Filia, standing a few feet behind Oenomaus, Donar and Saxa who had watched everything without interfering.

"Stop! Stop that, Agron!", she yelled as tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "Don't punch him! Please!", she implored.

Nasir turned his gaze back to his lover as he pushed the recruit on the floor once again with a hard shove on his chest with the flat of his hand and growled one last time at him before he stood and approached the little girl. Nasir followed him, holding his painful shoulder in his hand. The young rebel for his part, left the training yard without being told and ran inside the temple, scared for life by Agron's aggression.

Once the lovers reached Filia, she calmed down somewhat, wiping away the tears from her swollen red eyes as Agron crouched down in front of her.

"Why did you attacked him?", she accused. "He did not strike Nasir with the intention to harm him. It was training." Her gaze was fierce, though it held a hint of fear as she watched Agron straight in the eyes.

"Because he is nothing but a fucking German, that is why!", exclaimed Crixus as he approached the gathering, Naevia on his toes, a dirty smile on his lips. "Who is incapable to think for two seconds in a row before he does something stupid."

"Oh you can talk, you fucking Gaul!", snarled Agron as he stood to face Crixus.

'Here we go again', thought Nasir with a sigh as he watched the two gladiators bickering like twelve year old boys.

Naevia came to his side. She smiled when she recognized the frustrated look upon his friend's face. "Sometimes it seems like our men are nothing but childs, does it not?", she asked him with a shared frustration.

Nasir could only agree with her and he sighed once more before he took Filia in his arms, biting his tongue when the movement provoked pain in his injured shoulder and down his arm. He wiped away the last traces of tears with his thumb as he kissed her temple and the little girl buried her face in the Syrian's neck, sniffling softly.

"Are you alright?", he asked her. She didn't respond but Nasir could feel her nodding against his shoulder.

Noticing the pained look on Nasir's face and the dark bruises on his shoulder, Naevia asked, "Does what happened to your shoulder has something to do with Agron's rage towards the poor boy?"

"We were training together as I have the dutyto evaluate every new rebel capable of holding sword. I got distracted and he took advantage of it by striking me down; it was a good move, though he acted with more force that was necessary. Then Agron...well you know him", and Naevia nodded in agreementas she was well aware of the German's temper, "he lost control of his temper again and was about to punch him when Filia stopped him." He looked down at the little girl in his arms. "She looked so panicked, it was as if she thought Agron might kill him."

"I can understand that. She is far too young to witness such violence without being affected by it and with what she must have endure under the hands of the Romans...Agron's actions must have bring back bad memories", Naevia explained before pain and resentment flashed over her face as she added hesitantly, "It happens to me too sometimes when Crixus and I try to...", she trailed off as she lowered her eyes in shame but Nasir didn't need her to continue, for he knew what she meant. Her experience in the mines and the abuses she suffered there had changed her and it will take time before her body and her soul heal from that.

Nasir himself knew the feeling well. The first time Agron and he had been intimate, it didn't go as planned. While he had craved the German's loving hands on his skin, the memories of not so loving hands of Dominus had flashed before his eyes, making him scream in horror when Agron's touches had reached the most intimate of places on his body. He had felt shame that he had mistaken the German for his former master, for he knew Agron would rather die than force himself upon his Syrian. But Agron had been very understanding of the situation and thus they had waited until Nasir was finally ready.

Wanting to reassure her, he put a hand on her arm and when she lifted her gaze to him, he smiled at her to let her know she was not alone anymore and that things will go back in order with time.

"Gratitude", she whispered softly as she covered Nasir's hand with hers.

He was about to add something when Filia yawned loudly.

"Tired?", the Syrian asked and she made a noncommital noise in response. Turning his head in the direction of his lover and seeing that he was still busy exchanging insults with Crixus, Nasir decided to take Filia to his room without bothering to let his lover know.

"Childs, indeed", he sighed before turning towards the entrance of the temple. Naevia chuckled softly as she followed him and together they made their way to Nasir's and Agron's room. As soon as they entered the temple, Nasir let out a sigh of joy when the cool air of the temple touched his burning and sweating face.

They walked in companiable silence until they reached the hallway leading to his room.

"What was it?", Crixus' woman asked suddenly.

"I am sorry? What was what?", he asked back, confused.

"You said you were distracted during your training and that had allowed your opponent to strike you. What was that distraction?", she asked again with a knowing grin on her plump lips.

"I know this look and it is not what you think", he answered, though a blush appeared on his cheeks. When Naevia lifted an eyebrow at him as if she didn't believe him, Nasir added, "not really. But there is that woman, she is one of the slaves Agron liberated on his last hunting trip."

"So? What of her?", she pressed when her friend didn't continue.

"When Agron came back from the trip she was there, stuck to him and everytime we go somewhere she seems to be there as well ans she keeps looking at him like, I do not know, like she wants to devour him and Agron knew her name and--". Nasir would have continue his rambling but Naevia stopped him by lifting her hand before him. 

"Wait. So what you are telling me is that you are jealous of that woman? Because you think she seeks Agron's favor?". Nasir nodded to her as they stopped in front of Nasir's room. "Is that woman called Anaya?"

"You know her?"

"I know of her. Mira told me that when they met the first time Anaya arrived here, she could not stop speaking of Agron. How he saved her from the Romans and how he was such a strong and reassuring man", she said, rolling her eyes. "You have nothing to worry about, Nasir. Forget her", she assured before she turned to exit the temple and join her man.

Nasir entered his room, sighing. He knew Naevia was right and that he should not be concerned by the young woman. The only problem was that he didn't know how to do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is almost finished and will probably be updated in the next few days. The boys will have their fun, I promise :)
> 
> Thanks for reading ! <3


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexual content
> 
> So this is my first attempt at writing a sex scene in English, hope it's good. Also this is far more detailed and explicit than it was supposed to be. One reason: my mind is weak and the big Nagron fangirl in me took control of my hand while I was writing! But I'm not sorry, hope you'll enjoy :)

Agron was angry. At that fucking recruit for harming Nasir, at Crixus for being a fucking Gaul and at himself for not noticing that his lover and Filia had left the courtyard.

Guessing that his Little Man had headed back to their room, he took that direction. When he entered, Filia was on their bed, sleeping soundly while Nasir was in the corner, his back turned to him, washing himself of the sweat with a wet cloth. All trace of anger faded then as he leaned against the wall and watched as water made its way down Nasir's lithe yet muscular body until it reached his breeches and disappeared from his sight. He licked his lips as he imagined his tongue running that warm, golden skin to catch the droplets of water.

It was crazy, Agron realized, how easy it was for Nasir to affect his German lover with such banal gestures. The Syrian wasn't doing anything particular, yet Agron was once again captivated by Nasir, he could feel the heat forming low in his stomach as he watched Nasir lifting some of his hair to tie them behind his head, the muscles of his shoulders rolling under his beautiful skin with the movements. But then, Nasir hissed in pain as he lowered quickly his right arm to massage his bruised shoulder.

It only took two big steps for Agron to be behind his lover and he removed Nasir's hand to place his own.

"I did not hear you enter", Nasir remarked quietly.

"I can be discreet if I want it", he replied with a smile. "Do you want me to fetch the Medicus?", he asked as his face returned serious with concern.

"No need. I do not believe there is something broken. It is just the bruises that hurt", he replied before he turned to face Agron. "As there was no need to show such brutality towards the recruit. He did not do it on purpose and what you did was uncalled for", he added while a frown formed between his eyebrows.

"Uncalled for?", Agron exclaimed in disbelief then lowered his voice when he saw Filia stir in her sleep. "He fucking harmed you!"

"The purpose of the training was to evaluate his skills in combat with a sword. He took advantage of a moment of weakness from me to strike and win. He did nothing wrong! You would have stand proud if it had been me in his place, so stop acting like a child!"

Nasir was right, of course. Like always. "I hate when you are right", he whispered with something that resemble somewhat like a pout on his lips.

"Because it means you are wrong?", the Syrian replied with a wicked smile.

"Fucking Syrian", Agron said simply, making Nasir laugh. Turning from his lover, he went to the table to retrieve a small bowl of rose oil.

It was one of the few luxuries they had in their room. Nasir took it with him after the attack on the last villa and usually used it for his hair. While most of the gladiators had little concern for their hygiene, Nasir as former body slave couldn't say no to fragrant oils when some were within his grasp. Agron never favored them himself but it was not reason enough to deny them to his little lover.

Agron dug his fingers in it and once they were well coated, he returned behind Nasir and started to massage slowly his shoulder without putting too much pressure on the sensitive skin. With his other arm he brought Nasir against his chest and put his hand over his heart. It took only a few minutes before the smaller man relaxed completely in Agron's embrace and as the German massaged his shoulder with a little more force while his other hand caressed his chest, Nasir let out a sigh of pleasure. Smiling, Agron lowered the hand that wasn't massaging to Nasir's stomach to tease at the waistband of his breeches. All the while, he peppered kisses in his neck as Nasir tilted his head back and to the side to give Agron a better access.

"We should not do this", Nasir whispered as he put his left arm around his lover's shoulders.

"Uh-uh"

"I mean, we should not do this HERE", he specified as he turned into Agron's embrace to face him. "We are not alone", he added as he pointed with his chin in Filia's direction.

"Then...what do you propose, Little Man?", he asked in a husky voice as he continued his ministrations; one hand going to Nasir's ebony hair to pull lightly while the other passed inside Nasir's breeches to gently stroke him.

The smile on his face widened when Nasir's breath caught in his throat. "I...Fuck!", he cursed when Agron's touch became more insistent and it seemed to take great effort for the Syrian to pull away. As Agron was about to protest, Nasir went on his tiptoes to kiss him and efficiently shut him up.

"Follow me", the former body slave whispered in his ear after he pulled away from the kiss. He took Agron's hand in his to drag him outside of their room.

As they went through deserted hallways, Agron's lust started to fade to be replaced by anxiety at letting Filia alone without someone to watch over her. Though he knew he might regret it, he decided to voice his concern.

"Is it wise to leave Filia alone after what happened last time? What if she wakes up before we come back?"

Nasir stopped walking at the entrance of a room and Agron thought he succeeded at killing the mood and making Nasir see reason, but then his lover turned to him with mischief written on his flushed face. "I do not think she will wake up in the next twenty minutes, do not worry."

Agron's face contorted in mock offence at his lover's words. "Twenty minutes? Have you so little faith in me, Little Man?", he asked as he put one arm around Nasir's waist to bring him against his hard chest. He leaned in to bite gently at the Syrian's neck before licking the mark it left while Nasir gasped in pleasure. "I will show you, Little Man, the legendary stamina of the gladiators", he said before taking Nasir's lips in his own.

Smiling into the kiss, Nasir secured one arm around his German's broad shoulders and the injured one around his waist as he took steps backwards to enter the room, not worrying about whom it might belong to or even if someone was already inside. They moved like that, without breaking the kiss, until Nasir's legs hit a bed. They pulled apart and took in their surroundings : they were in the Medicus' room, that fortunately was empty.

As Nasir removed his hands from around him to take off his clothes, another thought pierced through Agron's lust-clouded mind that forced him to halt his lover's actions.

"Is it wise to stay here? Medicus could come back at any moment", he reasoned.

"I was not aware the Gods had bestowed such wisdom and reason upon you", Nasir teased, "but you are right. Our time is limited so I would recommand we stop wasting any more of it", the Syrian added with a wink as he well knew his German was not strong enough of will to deny to himself his want and need any longer.

Laughing at his lover's antics, Agron finally let the desire that had grown all morning for his Little Man took over him and he let go of Nasir's wrists so that he could strip. He watched, as he removed his subligaria, his lover stretching out on the bed stark naked and already hard. Agron stopped in his motions at the glorious view and he swallowed as his mouth went dry. Nasir looked back at him, smiling smugly at the kind of power he held over his giant German, for Nasir was the only one that could make Agron go numb by his simple presence.

"Do you plan in standing forever there as if you were one of those famous Greek statues? Because I fear I am in dire need of you", Nasir demanded in a voice that sent shivers down Agron's spine.

"Fucking Syrian", the gladiator replied with a predatory smile as he bent over to remove his boots, not leaving his lover from his eyes.

"Fucking German", Nasir countered before he rolled onto his side and leaned over to the nearby table to retrieve a bowl of oil.

Agron let out a small laugh as he went on the bed and was pulled down abruptly when Nasir took hold of his neck to bring him against him and kiss him passionately. Both moaned softly as the contact brought their hardened flesh together and Agron couldn't help but rock his hips gently against Nasir's for more sensation. Breaking the kiss, Agron brought his lips to his lover's sharp jaw, kissing along his jawbone to his ear then his neck. As Nasir tilted his head to the side to bare more of his neck to him, Agron kissed all around it to stop at the pulsing vein and he took a second to enjoy the feeling of his Syrian's strong heartbeat against his lips before bestowing small bites on the sensitive skin, making Nasir gasp in pleasure with each.

Agron loved bringing pleasure to his lover by the way of his neck. The reason was simple and never failed to anger the German each time he allowed himself to think about it. For years, the Syrian had been forced to wear a slave collar around his neck to remind him that he was nothing but a property to some Roman fuck. A tool to be used and discarded when purpose had been accomplished.

At first, Nasir couldn't tolerate that someone touched the skin there once Spartacus had removed the collar, for it was too sensitive and reminded him of his former status as body slave but Agron was convinced that the best way to remove such dark memories from his lover's mind was to replace them by some of a more pleasurable kind. And thus, the German had started to put light touches upon Nasir's neck, touches of reassurance. When Nasir had allowed more intimate encounters between them, Agron's first move had been to kiss that neck to show to his little lover that pleasure could be found there and when, one day, Nasir had let out a sigh a pleasure as Agron was kissing the skin, the German had known it meant Nasir was at last free of the collar and its memory. Since then, Agron had never ceased to worship that part of the Syrian's body, for it symbolized Nasir's freedom.

Agron continued his way down Nasir's body. He kissed his collarbones, the hollow between them before he took one nipple between his teeth and gently sucked while he played with the other with his fingers. He smiled when Nasir's breath caught in his throat before he felt smaller hands gripping his short hair as Nasir moaned again. He released the nipple from his mouth and continued downward, peppering small kisses on the way until he reached the base of Nasir's erect cock.

Looking up at his lover, he locked gazes with him before he brought his mouth to the base as if to put a kiss there but at the last second he pulled away to finally kiss the skin at the junction of Nasir's hip and thigh. The Syrian let out a growl of frustration as he wanted nothing more than Agron's mouth on him. As he lifted his hips as if to make the German know of what he truly wanted, the hold of his hands on Agron's head tightened and pushed lightly down.

Agron smiled widely at the motions. Nasir letting him know of his desires was very arousing to him and since he couldn't deny the man anything, he returned his mouth to where it was the most wanted and needed. He kissed the base of Nasir's cock several times before he went up until he reached the tip. He kissed it once before taking it into his mouth. He twirled his tongue around it as he sucked lightly. Pulling away, he used the precome gathered at the tip and his own saliva to slick the shaft so he could stroke it more easily. Then he resumed his sucking while stroking the length with more speed and pressure. As he did so, Nasir breathed out moans and his hips kept gently thrusting up in time with Agron's bobbing head.

Agron could feel Nasir was getting close to his release so he pulled away with a last sucking motion onhe sensitive head and sat up to look at his lover. He did not wish to see the end of this so soon. He made his way back up Nasir's body and brought their lips together and Nasir moaned when he felt his own taste on Agron's tongue.

Taking advantage of the distraction provoked by the kiss, the gladiator reached out for the bowl of oil and dipped his fingers in it. Making himself more confortable between his lover's legs, he put one finger to Nasir's opening. He rubbed around it for a time before he pushed in. Gasping into the kiss at the sudden intrusion, Nasir tensed slightly then relaxed when Agron caressed his thigh soothingly while he thrusted slowly his finger into his lover. As to distract him further, Agron moved his mouth to his neck to kiss, bite and lick at the skin then added a second finger inside and slowly, carefully, he stretched Nasir so he could be ready to welcome his impressive cock inside him.

Nasir's moans became more and more louder and his breath more and more ragged as the minutes passed by and Agron was certain he could reach his completion just with those delicious noises Nasir was making. When he was sure Nasir was ready, he pulled his fingers out and went to grab the oil again to coat his cock but Nasir was faster. The Syrian took the bowl and coated his own hand before he reached out to the German's leaking cock. Agron hummed his pleasure as Nasir's skillful hand stroked him, teasing the slit at the tip with his thumb.

"Stop", the German requested breathlessly, "or I fear this will be over before it truly started."

Complying with Agron's demand with a satisfied smile, Nasir pulled his hand away then pushed the gladiator onto the bed before he straddled him. Not wasting time, Nasir reached behind him to take Agron's cock in his hand, then pressed it slowly to his entrance. As he lowered himself on the length, Agron gripped Nasir's hips tightly in his hands so he could control the speed with which the smaller man took his cock; he didn't want him to harm himself by being too impatient.

Once Agron was as deep inside the smaller man as possible, both men took a moment to breathe. Nasir leaned down to kiss his German sweetly while he adjusted to the girth and Agron caressed soothingly his thighs. When the Syrian started to move by rolling his hips, he exhaled a shaky moan as he thrusted up in counterpoint of Nasir's bouncing movements. Together they picked up an easy rhythm until Agron, feeling that he wouldn't last much longer, took a firm grip of Nasir's hips and flipped them over, careful even lost in his pleasure as he was to not bring him down too harshly because of his injured shoulder, so that he was not on top of the Syrian.

Smiling at him, Nasir hooked his legs around his waist to bring his lover closer to him as Agron resumed his thrusts; slower but harder and deeper than before, looking for that small bundle of nerves inside his Little Man. He knew he found it when Nasir cried out, his back arching as his hands gripped tightly Agron's shoulders, nails digging into the hard muscles making the gladiator growled in response. Wanting Nasir to reach his completion first, he took his cock in his hand and stroked it in earnest while he sped up the pace of his thrusts, trying to aim at Nasir's prostate every time.

"Agron! Ah...Gods!", Nasir cried out as he came hard on Agron's hand and his own stomach.

The sight of his lover's blissful face as well as the constriction of his internal muscles around his cock proved to be Agron's undoing and with a last hard thrust he spilled deep inside the Syrian's body made boneless by the force of his orgasm.

"Fuck", he breathed out as he carefully pulled out before collapsing beside Nasir on the bed. "So, do you think it was worthy of your twenty minutes of free time?", he asked once his breathing had evened out.

Nasir laughted breathlessly, turning on his side to face his lover. "By the Gods I swear I will never doubt you again", he vowed playfully with a smirk on his lips.

Agron laughted back as he brought the smaller man against him so he could kiss him. "We should probably head back to our room before we push our luck too far and Filia wakes up", he said when they pulled apart, though he didn't release Nasir from his embrace.

Nasir lifted his head to him and threw him a suspicious look.

"What?"

"Nothing", Nasir replied thoughtfully, his eyes seemed to be searching for something in Agron's bright green ones, though the German didn't know what. "It is nothing". He stood from the bed and went to grab a cloth to clean them up.

Agron let Nasir did it for the both of them before they put on their clothes and throwing his arm around the Syrian's good shoulder, they left the Medicus' room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I wrote this while I was sick, I hope there aren't too many mistakes...if so I'm sorry 
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gods it took me forever to write this chapter, sorry! 
> 
> Not much happens in this chapter, just lots and lots of thoughts and reminiscence, though a big decision is taken at the end! Hope it's not too boring...tell me if you fell asleep in the middle of it all ;)

Fortuna was with them. When they returned to their room, Filia was still sleeping and Nasir silently thanked the Gods. The little girl was sprawled out on her stomach, one arm hanging in the air out of the bed, her hair completely dishevelled by turning over and over in her sleep.

"Our bed has been claimed, it would seem", Nasir said with a fond smile as he turned his head to look at Agron, only to find the German looking at Filia with a sad, melancholic look on his face. Nasir cupped his lover's cheeks in his hands to catch his attention, "Are you alright? What thoughts trouble you, Agron?"

Slowly Agron turned his eyes to his lover. "He used to sleep like that when we were children", Agron murmured softly and Nasir didn't need him to specify of whom he was talking about but he did anyway. "Duro. Always sprawled out half on our bed half on me. Always had to push him back on his side of the bed", Agron told him with much tightness in his throat as he blinked a few times quickly as if to hold back tears.

Nasir didn't know what to say so he remained silent. Instead he rubbed Agron's cheeks with his thumbs in soothing circles. It was so rare for Agron to speak of his dead brother or even of his days spent East of the Rhine when he was still a free man not yet burdened by the weight of slavery then of rebellion. When all that he had to care about was the hunts he went to with his beloved brother so that the food supplies of his tribe was always in aboundance; when he could spend his days running after boys to woo and fuck while Duro shyly stared at young girls he didn't dare to speak to; when the only enemies to be aware of was wild beasts living in the forest or other nearby German tribes; when the Roman Republic was but a name whispered by foreign travelers and merchants coming from across the Alps.

'Another times', Nasir thought, 'happier ones, more carefree'

Nasir knew Agron missed his homeland and the life he had there. His behaviour after they liberated the German slaves in Neapolis was proof of that. Agron had seemed so happy to be able to talk in his mother tongue with his kin around the fire, laughing loudly at naughty jokes, eating and drinking without restraint; such was the way of the men East of the Rhine. It had pleased Nasir to see his lover in such a state of debauchery, free of the responsability that weighted upon his shoulders due to his position within the rebellion. While the Syrian knew Agron was strong enouth to support that weight, he still noticed how the German would withdraw on himself some days or the dark circles under his eyes after a restless night, disturbed by nightmares. Agron then would wake up screaming, tears falling down his face contorted with both fear and guilt. Guilt at letting his brother die in the ludus, at letting his brother throwing away his own life to save the own of his big brother, at letting his lifeless body to rot among those of the countless Roman shits they had slaughtered in their way to freedom.

Duro will always be a sensitive subject to Agron and they never really talked about him; the little he knew about him came from stories told by Spartacus or Donar, both trusted brother gladiators to Agron who knew Duro from their time in the ludus. Crixus would also spoke of Agron's little brother, though not with the same fond memories. He would told Nasir how Duro was hot-headed and stubborn and that if Agron had not been there to protect him, he would have died many times in the arena, for he was far from being the most skilled with a sword, or any weapon.

But Nasir didn't care for that. Duro was Agron's brother, his own blood and thus he had a place in Nasir's heart. Everytime Agron suffered his absence, Nasir would suffer just as much.

"Put dark and painful memories of the past from your mind. And let us embrace happier ones in the present", Nasir said softly while his hand still comforted his lover's face with small caresses. He knew those few words wouldn't be enough to comfort him, that probably nothing will be enough to comfort him, to heal his wounded heart, for the losses Agron had suffered were too big.

For as much as Nasir knew about Agron and understood every aspect of his personnality, he was however incapable to comprehend that kind of pain. Grief. Melancholy. Mourning. Regret. Those were feelings the former body slave never had to deal with. Being a slave since childhood had taught him to never express feelings or even to have any. And even if he had, he had nothing to grieve, nothing to mourn, nothing to regret, nothing to long for. Unlike Agron, Nasir couldn't talk of his homeland with fondness; how could he when he remembered nothing of the lands, the tongue or the people of Syria? The only 'memories' he had were of a brother but Nasir wanted more : was he older? Younger? Was he kind? Were they close? Nasir couldn't remember. He only had flashes of that brother calling his name, protecting his eyes with his hand from the fierce sun of Syria's desert.

Nasir shook his head, pushing away his thoughts. Now was not about him but about Agron.

"Happier memories", Agron repeated Nasir's words. "With you", he added in a soft whisper, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Nasir hesitated and dropped his eyes to the ground. He didn't know if now was the right time to bring this subject. But he had noticed how Agron's behaviour had changed slightly since Filia came into their lives, how his giant German showed his softer side to her -something that he did exclusively in Nasir's presence until now-, how he seemed to constantly think about her well-being first and foremost. Nasir knew that Filia had taken a place in his lover's heart and if he was being honest with himself, he couldn't deny that she had a place in his own heart too.

"With us", Nasir corrected, gesturing with his hand at Filia and himself with a shy smile as he looked up at Agron for a second before he turned his eyes to the sleeping child. "We could make new memories with the three of us, memories of love and happiness to hold onto during darker times", he added hesitantly. Then he looked back at his lover and his hands left Agron's face so he could take Agron's big, calloused hands in his. "I know it is not a decision to take lightly and that it will be difficult at times but I think it is worth it. I think...", he stopped before he took a deep breath, "I think she is worth it".

The silence that followed Nasir's words were killing him. He observed Agron, waiting for him to say something, anything, to react one way or the other but the German just stared. He stared at his Syrian with a blank expression for a few seconds that felt like ages to Nasir. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, heat flooding his cheeks and ears as he told himself that maybe he shouldn't have uttured those words, not yet. Not ever. Nasir then felt panic rising that made his gut twist. Maybe he read wrong in his lover's behaviour and Agron was just being nice -as incredible that thought might be- to a little girl and that there was nothing more to that. Nasir had thought himself good at reading people as it had been one of his multiple duties as body slave and that he had years to master this practice : observe and notice even the most subtle twitch of the eye or lips or hand that could give away someone about their intentions. And he had observed Agron during that day and a half spent with Filia by their side, he had noticed those thoughtful looks Agron had almost everytime he looked at Filia that made Nasir come to the conclusion that his lover wanted to keep the little girl with them, that Agron wanted to take care of her like she was his own child.

'But I am wrong. He does not want that and now he is mad at me for assuming such a thing'

Lost in his thoughts, Nasir took a step back, releasing Agron's hands as if putting physical distance between them would also put distance between his words and his lover and make them less real or would keep Agron from hearing them.

But after torturous seconds, Agron finally reacted. He took Nasir's wrist in his hand to prevent the shorter man from moving further away and took a step forward so that there was no space left between their two bodies. The gesture made Nasir startle and he looked up to see the beginning of a smile on Agron's face.

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?", the German asked hesitantly. "Are you saying that we should keep Filia with us, to take care of her...permanently?" The hand that was on Nasir's wrist moved to his hand to entwine their fingers together. His eyes softened and his smile widened somewhat, letting his dimples appear shyly on each cheek.

"You want to? I mean, I thought you would because when I look at you looking at her, it is so obvious--", Agron lifted an eyebrow at that as if asking 'Really?' and Nasir chuckled, looking lovingly at his lover, "You are an open book, Agron, your thoughts are written in your face. But then I was not sure anymore when you said nothing earlier. I thought I said something wrong and that I had misunderstood the whole situation with Filia".

"You have not. It is true that I have grown fond of her, in a way that I think any of us could have predicted, but I have and since she is with us I found myself wondering what our life would be like if we raised her...", Agron then dropped his gaze before looking up again, "but I would love to find that out. With you", he added with confidence, his smile widening even more.

Nasir let go of Agron's hands to throw his arms around his shoulders and leaning on his toes he whispered against his lips, "I would love that, too", before he kissed his lover with all the love he felt for this extraordinary man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this chapter I think there'll be a couple more chapters plus an epilogue and then it'll be the end of that story!
> 
> As always thanks for reading! <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 5am here and I just finished to write this so I really DON'T have the courage to look for mistakes...sorry!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter anyway :)

Agron didn't know for how long they have been kissing but when they pulled apart for breath, he found out that it was not nearly enough and that he was craving more. He let his hands glide over the hot caramel skin of his Syrian until they reached the small of his back then his hips. Nasir's skin was still sweaty from their earlier activities, allowing Agron's calloused hands to go smoothly over it. Agron loved that sensation and he smiled as he trailed his hands back up his lover's body. Nasir sighed happily at the sensation of warm hands on him and lifted one leg to wrap it around Agron's waist. Taking the hint, Agron took the thigh in one of his hand while the other one took hold of his hip. As he was about to lift the Syrian, he heard someone cough behing them. Agron groaned in frustration -why did he urge his lover to return to their room so quickly?- as he released Nasir's thigh.

The Syrian smirked as he leaned forward to whisper into Agron's ear, "Round two will have to wait". Agron shoved him playfully before bringing him back against his chest to kiss him one last time. Then he turned to face Filia who had awoken and left the bed to join the couple with neither of them noticing.

The little girl looked first at Nasir with a big smile illuminating her face and from the corner of his eye, Agron could see Nasir's cheeks turning a deep red, mostly out of embarrassment. His lover wasn't really comfortable with public display of affection, whether that affection be express through words or touches...

'Well, except for earlier', Agron thought fondly. He remembered well the heated kiss Nasir gave him in front of their friends and the recruits. 'Jealousy can make you do some crazy things. Oenomaus is right, it is a powerful feeling'.

He was about to tease his Little Man about it but Filia started giggling, her smile widening and her eyes sparkling with so many emotions, Agron was well incapable to list them all.

While he was glad that she seemed to be in such a good mood, he couldn't help the sentiment of confusion that made its way to his mind. Why did she look so happy all of a sudden? Surely it was not because of their little display of affection? Or was it?

'No it cannnot be that', Agron told to himself, shaking his head slightly. 'But then...what is it?'

Then without any warning, the little girl turned towards Agron and jumped in his arms. The German, although being taken off-guard, caught her in mid-air as she embraced him in a six year old version of a bear hug, squeezing as hard as her small limbs allowed her with her arms around his neck and legs around his torso. When she released her grip a little after a minute or so, she tilted her head back so that she could look at him.

"I want to stay with you, too", she said happily. If her smile could widen more, it would. But then her face would split in two, probably.

Agron's mouth opened in shock while Nasir's blood rushed to his cheeks once more, making them take a deep red almost purple color. He had not anticipated that. No, of all the reasons that could have explained Filia's apparent happiness, he had not anticipated that. Neither of them did, given Nasir's reaction. Nasir and him were certain that she was asleep when they came back here and they have been careful to keep their voices low so that they wouldn't wake her, even though she would have had to wake up at some point, it was barely midday after all and she couldn't spend all her time sleeping. But now, what? She seemed to agree with their arrangement but did she fully understand what that meant? She was so young after all and he had to explain the whole thing to her plainly to avoid any misunderstanding that could lead to pain and tears.

With that in mind he looked at Filia in the eyes. "You heard everything we said?" She nodded 'yes'. "The whole conversation?" She nodded again with a soft laugh. "And you are okay with everything that had been said?", he asked a bit unsure even though her behaviour indicated her agreement. "Are you sure?", he persisted. "Are you sure you understand what we want, Nasir and I? Well, what we would like, if you allow us?", he said as an after thought. The last thing he wanted was to appear to force something on her, something she might not want. But the smile on Filia's face remained as wide as before and she kept silently nodding. "We talked about you and how we feel about you being with us and we came to the conclusion that we would like that you remain with us--", he stopped then, not sure if he should continue. She lost her true family not a few weeks ago and despite her smart mind, there was that risk that she took his following words bad.

That's when Nasir spoke. "Agron and I would very much like to take care of you, as a third part of our family", his voice was soft while he spoke and he raised a questionning eyebrow. The Syrian observed her, waiting for a reaction and Agron found himself holding his breath while he waited too.

"I want to stay with you", she stated again, her smile never leaving her face. "I understood what you meant when you were speaking together earlier", she said to Agron. "I may be only 6 years old but I am not dumb", she added with a bit of outrage in her voice that elicited a laugh from the two men. "Back home, adults were never careful when they talked around me because they thought I was too young to understand but they were sooo wrong!", she said proudly.

Agron couldn't help another laugh as he said, "YOU are one of a kind, little one". He lifted one hand to cup Filia's cheek but his hand was so big and her so small that it covered nearly half of her face.

Filia chuckled for a moment then her face turned serious. "I miss Mama and Papa and Agho. I always think about them and I wish they were here with us but...they are dead, I know", she said as a shadow of sorrow passed over her features. "But I remember one day, one friend of Mama's lost her son. He was very sick, I remember him always coughing, and Mama's friend cried for weeks and stopped eating. But eventually she started to feel better after Mama asked of her that she--", Filia's brow furrowed in concentration as she searched for her words. "That she move on and she told her that while she will always miss the presence of her son, she had to live because it would be what her son would like for her to do". She took a much needed breath after her long declaration. "And I know that, right now, it is what Mama would like me to do", she continued as she looked back and forth between the two men, something soft and loving on her face. "Stop crying and be happy with people I love so much", she added before planting a kiss to Agron's cheek and hugging him once again.

Agron was stunned. How a child this young could show so much understanding and be able to stand back and analize her situation with such cleverness? Agron himself had been incapable to accomplish such a thing after Duro's passing or even after their enslavement and he was already a grown man then.

'She was sent by Minerva', the German thought. 'There is no other explanation. Minerva sent her down on earth and bestowed her wisdom upon her. But for what purpose?' he wondered. Usually, Agron doubted the existence of the Gods and never prayed to them and if by any chance, it appeared that they actually existed he took pleasure in cursing them for the little good they did. But right now, Agron was prone to believe.

A prickling sensation from his eyes took him from his thoughts. 'Jupiter's cock!', he realized. He was crying! Immediately he turned away to hide his face from the little girl. He felt a little annoyed about the fact of being so easily overwhelmed by his emotions. How had he come to be so sentimental? He was a warrior, for Gods' sake! But in the twirl of emotions that he was experiencing, he turned his head in the wrong direction and found himself facing his lover. Nasir looked back at him, looking equally moved by Filia's words. It didn't keep Agron from blushing fiercely, though; he was not supposed to be that weak and let his emotions show on his face so strongly. But Nasir didn't mock him, his Syrian lover smiled weakly, his lips trembling slightly, his eyes sparkling with emotions as he took deep breaths in an obvious attempt to calm his nerves. Agron mirrored the smile, or at least attempted to but his throat felt suddenly tight and he had to swallow more tears.

Closing his eyes, he took some deep calming breaths as well and when, after a few minutes, he felt that he was able to talk without his voice trembling he opened his eyes and said, "You are truly incredible, little one". He wanted to say so much more but he felt his voice starting to shake and his chest tightened with all the love that he felt.

Nasir seemed to feel the same as him because he said nothing. He just watched Agron and Filia, smiling with slightly trembling lips, rubbing his eyes to wipe tears away. Then, he moved to stand next to them and he reached out for the child. Filia, from her place in Agron's arms, jumped directly in Nasir's embrace and give him the same treatment that she did to the German : a big hug followed by kisses on the cheek only interrupted by happy giggles.

Agron laughed when Nasir almost dropped her when she jumped and her weight, increased by the momentum of the jump, made the small Syrian bend down with a surprised gasp. He approached and threw an arm around the shoulders of his lover while his other hand caressed Filia's head tenderly before kissing it. He cleared his throat. While he was beyond happy about the new development of their relationship with the little girl, there was still one thing they needed to fix. "I am so glad that we took that decision towards you and that you accepted it", he smiled at her and Filia smiled back at them both. "But there is one last thing we need to discuss about."

"What is it?", Filia asked frowning.

Nasir looked at him and tilted his head in confusion.

"Look", he said slowly as if it was a very sensitive subject. Filia's frown deepened between her eyebrows. "I understand that with everything that had happened to you, you are reluctant to the company of others and that you prefer to stay with either or both of us, but--"

"Agron, isn't it too soon for that?", Nasir cut him off, looking skeptical at his lover's request.

Agron thought he was hurt pass on the little girl's face for a second before it vanished as she talked. "I want to stay only with you..."

"I know but you have to understand that everyone here at the temple is good person. Like Nasir. They are here for you. They can take care of you. Nasir and I have responsabilities here and sometimes we will have to leave the temple to go on missions--"

"Like when you found me?", she wanted to know.

"Yes. Exactly like that time when I found you. They are dangerous missions and you will not be able to accompany us then, so you will have to be very brave and stay here with the others. Do you understand?"

Filia took her time to think over at what Agron had said but she nodded silently eventually.

"I can promise you that when that will happen, we will try our best to come back here as soon as possible", Nasir added as he rubbed a thumb over her cheek in soothing circles and her features relaxed somewhat.

Taking her more relaxed posture as a beginning of an agreement, Agron, satisfied, decided to drop the subject for now, though he knew they will have to fix this matter for good. And sooner rather than later. He switched to a lighter topic of discussion, one he knew everyone would agree on.

"Alright, so I do not know about you but I am starving!", he said with too much enthusiasm.

Filia laughed. "Me too", she replied and she squirmed out of Nasir's arms to stand between them. She took their hands and guided them ouside their room and towards the courtyard of the temple.

The courtyard was nearly empty when they arrived, everyone having already finished their meal and only the recruits as well as a few former gladiators were training under the supervision of the same trio as always : Oenoamaus, Saxa and Donar.

"Too late. Meals seem already over", Agron remarked before an idea struck him. He crouched down before Filia. "Do you know how to fish?", he asked her. She shook her head 'no'. "Do you want to learn?" She nodded an eager 'yes'.

"You want to take her to the pond? That is such a great idea!", the Syrian exclaimed.

Agron smiled. The idea was to entertain the little girl but if he could make his lover happy by the same occasion, it was even better.

"It is settled, then."

"Oh but Agron", Nasir sounded disappointed. "My training duties..."

"You are not needed for now, Nasir", the deep voice of Oenomaus called. Nasir startled as he had not expected the older man to enter the conversation. "You are free to take some time to yourself", he added, his lips tugging upwards.

Nasir bowed his head in gratitude before he went to grab some leftovers from midday meal that they could eat during their little journey to the pond. Once he was finished, they made their way outside the temple and towards the forest and the pond.

It took them a good twenty minutes to reach the pond. On their way there, Filia assailed Agron with questions about fishing and he answered her with delight. And with pride. Because all of the knowledge on that particular matter came from his father who was a famous fisherman in Agron's tribe.

Pride also swelled in Nasir's heart, though he couldn't help but tease his giant German. "Show-off", he said smirking and he pulled away when a laughing Agron tried to reach for him.

Filia was jumping between them, excited at seeing the pond and the fish and trying Agron's advices to catch some fish. She stopped dead in her track when suddenly the forest they were walking within faded away to let the place to a small clairing with a pond at the far end.

"Oh wow!!! It is so beautiful!!", she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, holding her face in her tiny hands.

Agron and Nasir watched her running towards the edge of the pond, laughing and jumping around. They joined her in her laughter as they approached the pond, too. Agron, with all the subtlety that he was capable of mustering, went behind his lover and without any warning he pushed him down in the water of the pond. Nasir squealed when the fresh water hit his warm skin and then he disappeared under the water with a big splash. The gladiator roared with laughter, holding his ribs. The Syrian reappeared second later and half-heartedly scowled at him before his eyes widened as he looked at something behind Agron. The German was about to turn around but before he could, Filia pushed him. Of course she didn't have the necessary strengh to actually push him but because he didn't see that coming, Agrin lost his balance and fell in the pond as well. It was Nasir's turn now to laugh loudly but it turned short when Agron reappeared under Nasir and lifted him out of the water. Instinctively, Nasir wrapped his legs around his lover's torso as his arms went around his neck. Bedore he could complain, Agron let himself fall backwards and they fell together in the water again. Nasir reached for him and grabbed his head to kiss him under the water. They kissed for some time until they had to come up for air. They kissed again, smiling broadly at each other.

Then they realized.

They didn't hear Filia's laughter anymore.

They looked around for her.

Filia was nowhere to be seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you wanted to know Agho, Filia's brother, is named after a local Gaul's God ^^
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!! Hope everyone had great holidays :) 
> 
> Tiny chapter but since it's been more that 2weeks since the last update ( sorry! between my work and the festivities, I barely had times for myself!) I wanted to at least give you that :) 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you'll like this chapter :)

"Filia!"

"Filia!!"

"FILIA!!"

Nasir's voice cracked on the last shout. He stopped running to lean his back against the closest tree in order to regain his breathing and try to control the painful hammering of his heart in his chest. Agron and he had decided to split up so that they could cover more ground in their search for their little girl.

Their little girl.

Nasir let a small smile pass his lips as he yet struggled to regain his breath. Despite the urgency of the current situation, Nasir took the time to smile and he thought about the new development of their relationship with Filia. What a wonder it was, his ever growing attachment for the child. And to witness the same in his lover's heart was beyond incredible. Never, even in his wildest dreams, would he have guessed such an outcome. Two days. Two days and it was as if she had always been there by their side.

The sound of cracking twigs brought Nasir back to reality as he startled. He straightened up and reached for his weapon only to realize that he had none with him. He cursed himself, for his oversight could cost him his life. These woods were dangerous even so close of the temple; it was unlikely to come across Romans but wild beasts still roamed about here : wolves and boars for instance. Deadly beasts for one unarmed and alone. Nasir readied himself for combat as he looked around for any threat coming his way. He could hear the sound of something walking in the leaves covering the ground of the forest becoming nearer with each passing second and Nasir held his breath, ready to defend himself...with his bare hands. He was not really confident as to his chances of survival, he was alone without weapon and his enemy was unknown. He didn't even know in which direction he should be looking : the sounds he was hearing were echoing throughout the forest and thus the danger could come from anywhere.

Time seemed to slow down as Nasir waited for the enemy to show itself. He couldn't help the shudder that came with the feeling of being a prey trapped and soon to be put down. His heart skipped a beat when he heared a sharp noise behind his back. Turning on himself, he lifted his fists ready to throw. What was not his relief when he saw the strong built of his lover walking towards him. He let out a heavy sigh and he closed his eyes in relief.

Agron approached him, looking concerned by Nasir's demeanor. "Are you alright?", he asked the smaller man while looking at him closely for any signs of injury.

"I just thought there was some beast tracking me down, is all", he replied sighing once again. His physical and mental exhaustion were evident and Agron reached for him but Nasir denied him the touch. Instead he asked, dreading the answer, "Have you found any sign of her?"

The look upon Agron's face answered for him before the gladiator uttured the words. "There is none. No trail to follow, no sounds that could be hers. There is nothing". His voice was nothing but a whisper as he talked before his body started to tremble. Then he threw his fist against the nearest tree while shouting in frustration. Nasir hastened to join him to catch his hand before he could punch the tree again. The German didn't fight against it. Nasir looked horrified at the bloodied knuckles and he brought one of his hand up to cup his lover's face.

"We must keep our heads clear, Agron", he reasonned, tilting the head of his lover so that their eyes could meet. "Falling into despair and frustration and anger will not help us to find her".

Those sentiments were understandable, though. It has been hours now that they were looking for her but there was still no clue as to where the little girl had disappeared. Hours of desperate searching to no avail and Nasir feared that the worst had happened.

When they first realized that Filia was not at the edge of the pond where they had left her, they just had thought that she had joined them in the water and that they hadn't noticed simply because they had been too busy fooling around together. So they had search the pond and when they didn't find her, they had searched the bank; there were some high grass that could provide a hiding place to a small stature. When this search proved to be vain as well, they had started to panick slightly. It was not wise for a little girl to wander these woods without protection. Guilt had clung to them then, when they realized that they should have warned her to not leave the pond without at least one of them.

Hours later now, they were searching deeper into the forest and there was still no sign of her. Nasir looked around once more. There were so many possibilities that could explain Filia's disappearance and none were very comforting. He refused to give each of these possibilities more than a fleeting thought, though.

They had just found her. They couldn't loose her now.

"We should return to the temple", Agron said suddenly.

Nasir looked up to Agron. "What? Why?", he asked, confused and somewhat angry. "We must keep searching! We must--"

"Nasir--"

"It is out of the question that we stop our research!", he added, his voice getting louder.

"Nasir, listen--"

But Nasir would not listen. "I WILL NOT ABANDON HER, AGRON!!!", he yelled then, lips trembling with emotions as tears welled up in his brown eyes and that threatened to fall at any moment. "I will not", he repeated in a softer tone, though with the same determination.

Agron's eyes widened. He took the Syrian's face in both his hands. "Nasir, I will never suggest such a thing! Never!" And Nasir saw in his lover's eyes that it was the truth. "But look!", he pointed at the sky, "We must return to the temple before the sun completely ends its course", the former gladiator explained. "We cannot keep searching in the dark. It is too dangerous and will only serve as a waste of time and energy. We shall return at dawn and with aid".

Nasir lifted his head towards the sky. What Agron said made sense, the sun was close to the horizon, its last rays giving the sky the color of blood and a few stars could already be seen. Though his heart was screaming with the want to continue searching, his body was screaming with exhaustion and in the silent battle that followed the latter eventually won. The Syrian dropped his head in defeat and he nodded to let Agron know of his decision.

Agron took Nasir's chin between his fingers and gently lifted his head until they were eye level. "We will find her. I promise."

Nasir wanted to believe him. He trully did.

Agron let go of him and started to walk back to the temple. Nasir stayed where he was for a moment longer. He looked back at the sky again and made a promise to the Gods. 'I will find her, no matter the cost. And if I do not, I will split the Heavens in two and you will know my wrath.'

The travel back to the temple was quick and silent. Neither of them wanted to talk nor wanted to listen to empty words of comfort or hope. They were greeted by a solemn-looking Lugo who was on guard duty upon the wall this night. He watched them but said nothing. Confused, Nasir looked up at Agron but his lover seemed equally skeptical as to why his German brother -who was rarely seen without a grin on his face for too long- seemed so serious while gazing at them. Putting the thought aside, Nasir walked through the entry of the temple, Agron behind him. To their astonishment, people were still in the courtyard, people awake that is, and if their straight postures and stern looks were anything to go by, they were waiting for them.

"Spartacus!", both Agron and Nasir exclaimed at the sight of their leader as they ran towards the man.

"We have something to ask. We need you to--", Agron started to say but the firm hand of the Thracian on his shoulder made him pause.

"Agron. Nasir", he said as he looked back and forth between the two men.

The couple stood there, expecting their leader to announce some horrible news. Did something happen while they were away? Did the Romans attack? Is someone dead? Nasir's heart ached at such thoughts and he tried his best to prepare himself to hear such things.

"Filia is here", Spartacus then said abruptly.

Well, Nasir wasn't prepared to hear that. He stared at the rebel leader with blank eyes. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something only to close it again without uttering a word. Beside him Agron looked just as stunned and they stood there without moving or talking for what seemed like hours. The snores of the rebels sleeping in the courtyard were all that could be heard until Nasir regained his senses at last.

"How?", was all that he was capable of saying, though.

"She brought her back here", Spartacus said, looking over his own shoulder.

Nasir noticed then the small frame standing in the shadow of their Thracian leader. With the sun moving lower and lower towards the horizon casting bigger shadows and the broad expanse of Spartacus' body, neither Nasir nor Agron realized that someone stood behind him. Nasir's brow furrowed. Who that woman could be? How did she come to be the one to bring Filia back to the temple? For how long Filia was here in the safety of these walls while both he and his lover searched for her in the forest fearing the worst? So many questions that demanded to be answered.

Spartacus took a step aside so that the small figure standing rather shyly behind him could step forward in front of the still confused couple. Nasir heard his lover gasp beside him and the sound found its echo in his own mouth when the woman stepped into the light.

At once, Nasir's anguish let place to fury. "You! Where is Filia? What did you do to her?", he demanded through gritted teeth.

Anaya squealed at Nasir's tone and refused to meet his eyes. He took a step in her direction but Agron's hand on his shoulder prevented him from moving further. The smaller man turned towards Agron to see his lover in the same state of anger that he was in.

"Answer him", Agron said slowly with barely veiled threat in his voice.

"Apologies", she murmured after a moment, her eyes still looking at the ground before her. "I found her in the forest. She was alone and looked lost so I brought her back here. She didn't want to follow me at first but eventually I convinced her and we made our way back to the temple", she explained in a tiny voice.

"For how long is she here?", Nasir asked firmly.

"I...I do not know". She squealed again when Nasir growled at her poor answer. "A few hours", she added quickly.

The next question was about to fall from his lips but Agron was quicker. "Why were you in the forest...alone?", the German asked, his voice thick with suspicion as he narrowed his eyes at her.

The young woman risked a look at Agron only to avert her gaze immediately after. The look of anger on the German's face was too much to bear. "I just wanted to explore", she said hesitantly.

"Sure. You decided to wander the forest on your own and oh miracle you happened to come across Filia!", Nasir retorted. "Do not believe me fool enough to think that what you say hold any truth!", he snarled at her. "And why did you come back here instead of seeking us out? I doubt Filia did not tell you that Agron and I were at the pond."

From the corner of his eye, Nasir could see Agron nodding his head in agreement. "And where is she? We want to see her", he required.

"She is sleeping in your room. Saxa is watching over her", Spartacus said before Anaya could respond. "Do not worry, she is fine."

"Saxa? Why would Saxa accept to watch over her?", Nasir asked. He wasn't concerned about Filia's safety but Saxa was not really what Nasir would call a motherly figure.

He frowned when Spartacus answered him with a grin. "You'll see. Plenty of things happened while both of you were away. Good things", he added when Nasir's frown deepened.

"Alright. I am going to see her", Nasir said with a sigh, starting to walk towards the temple. "I am not done with you", he spat at Anaya as he passed her.

"Spartacus, why have you let us seek Filia for hours when she was here?", Nasir heard his lover ask behind him to their leader.

"Apologies, brother. We did look for you in the forest, Saxa, Donar and I but could not find you", he said as he looked at Donar -who had stayed silenty beside Spartacus the whole time- for confirmation. "So we decided to return here and wait for you to come back. It was not our intentions to cause you and Nasir pain", the older man apologized. "Nor was it Anaya's", he added after a moment.

Nasir tensed as he walked. It seemed that Spartacus believed her and that she had told them the truth after all.

'It doesn't matter', Nasir thought. 'She may have told the truth regarding how she found Filia but she certainly didn't when asked why she was in the forest in the first place. And I WILL have answers'.

With that in mind, Nasir quickened his pace towards his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We near the end of the story!
> 
> As always thanks for reading, means a lot <3


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the last chapter before the epilogue but I decided to split it in 2parts since it's been an eternity since the last update. So here is part 1 and I'll do my best to post part 2 in the next few days :)
> 
> Enjoy <3

Agron took a deep breath. Then another. And another. He needed to get rid of all that tension.

'She is safe', he repeated to himself. 'She is safe. She is safe.'

Spartacus put a comforting hand upon his shoulder, looking somewhat apologetic but Agron just shrugged. "I understand, brother. There was nothing more to do. What matters is that Filia is safe now." He turned to face Anaya once more, a hard look on his face but he said nothing to her. "I should probably go. The day has been long and I need to know how she is doing", he said, nodding to Spartacus and Donar before heading towards the temple.

He'll deal with Anaya and her explanations later, he decided. Tomorrow. Now he couldn't. He needed to clear his head first and for that he needed to talk to Filia as soon as possible. He suspected she was asleep now and would have to wait morning to have words with her, though.

He took his time to walk through the corridors in an attempt to still his racing mind yet clouded with lingering anger towards Anaya. It had the opposite effect as another sentiment made its way to him : doubt. After what happened, how could he still think that he was able to take care of Filia? He could have lost her that day. One moment of distraction and she was gone while he should have known better than to let the child slip from his sight while they weren't in the safety of the temple. How could he have been such a fool!?

How could he have thought that he was good enough to protect her?

He hadn't been good enough to protect his little brother from slavely...

He hadn't been good enough to protect Nasir from a foolish attempt on the mines...

He certainly won't be good enough to protect a defenceless little girl from the savagery of this world.

What was he thinking really? That like that, just because he wanted to, the fighter, the gladiator, the warrior that he was could turn itself into a father? The Gods must be laughing so hard at him right now.

"Fick die Götter!", he exclaimed when he crashed into a body as he turned the corner to the hallway leading to his and Nasir's room. He always switched in German when caught by surprise. "Watch where you walk, you fucking--", he stopped when he recognized the body before him. Saxa.

"You are the one who bumped into me, asshole!", she said grudgingly in German too while massaging her arm which took the brunt of Agron's weight when they collided into each other.

"Apologies", he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He was so tired.

Something softened in Saxa's expression as she watched her kinsman in an obvious state of exhaustion. "Do not worry yourself more that is necessary. She is safe", she slurred the words in common tongue.

Agron let his hand fall to his side as he stared at the blonde woman slightly wide-eyed. Never has he heard Saxa uttured words of comfort to anyone before; it wasn't in her character to do so but then he remembered Spartacus' words earlier about the German woman spending time with Filia here in the temple while he and Nasir searched in vain for her in the forest. A knot formed once again in his gut at the thought and the despair he -both of them- had felt then. He shook his head to put the thoughts aside. 'She is safe', he reminded himself again. Saxa spent the whole afternoon with the little girl, maybe she had developped some kind of a bond with Filia? A bond that made the fierce woman warrior wanting to protect Filia as Nasir and he were trying -'and miserably failing' he couldn't help but think- to do. Doubtful but possible. He had seen craziest things in his life, after all.

"Danke", he said sincerely because he WAS grateful that someone had been there for Filia when he had not. And he trusted Saxa.

She just nodded as she passed him and disappeared into the next hallway. When he pushed aside the piece of material used to ensure an illusion of privacy to their room, Agron found Nasir sitting at the edge of bed, his right hand brushing delicately Filia's hair while whispering things to her that the German couldn't make out even in the silence of the room. Due to the position of his lover he couldn't see the little girl's face but judging by the steady rise and fall of her chest, she was asleep.

A wave of relief suddenly overwhelmed him at the view of her serene form, making him release a shaky breath. She looked unharmed, at least physically. The sound seemed to make Nasir aware of Agron's presence in the room as the Little Man stood and turned towards him, but not before kissing Filia on her forehead first.

"How is she?", he asked in a whisper as he looked at her. She was on her side facing the entrance of the room and clinging tightly the blanket in both her tiny hands.

"She is alright, considering the events of the day. I haven't talked to her yet but Saxa told me she didn't let her out of her sight since she arrived and that her and many others tried to distract her while they waited for our return", Nasir replied. Then the Syrian took the few steps that separated him to his lover and didn't stop until they were almost chest to chest. "What happened, Agron? How did we come to this? I don't understand."

Agron didn't understand either. He wasn't sure he wanted to. But he knew he had to face reality. "We made a mistake", he said, looking ashamed. "We will need to talk to Filia about this when she awakes. And to Anaya as well", he added with a bit of wariness in his voice at mentionning the woman in Nasir's presence, "some of her 'explanations' are doubtful."

Nasir just hummed in agreement, looking lost in his thoughts. "Spartacus seemed to believe in her justifications as to her presence in the forest and how she came to find Filia. But you and I know better about her motives", he stated as he looked up to Agron with a pointed look.

"We do. And I fear I am at fault for her behaviour. I thought I made it clear this morning at training that she held no meaning to me but--"

"You are not the only one guilty in this, Agron", the Syrian cut him off. "I could have done something to keep her at bay, yet did nothing. I should have known that darkened gazes towards her and heated kisses with you", he indulged himself a small smile at the thought, one that Agron returned, "would not be enough to deter her from believing you could respond to her obvious feelings for you. I should have done more, yet--", he stopped himself and took a deep breath. Agron brought his hand to Nasir's neck and with a light squeeze prompted his young lover to continue. "Yet I feel grateful that she was there and found Filia when she did", he blurted out with some difficulty, as if the words were physically stuck in his throat.

Agron's eyes widened at the admission. It shouldn't have been easy for Nasir to think those words, let alone utter them. But if he took the time to analize his own feelings, he would find out that he was in agreement with Nasir. He too felt grateful that someone was there even if it turned out to be that woman.

"As do I", he then said, squeezing Nasir's neck again. "But it does not change the fact that words are needed with her", as his lover nodded he continued, "and with Filia so she can tell us why she left the pond to go wandering the forest on her own."

"It will have to wait until morning, though. The day has been long and exhausting", he glanced briefly at the child then back to Agron, "for all of us."

They shared a quick kiss before removing their clothes to the minimum -meaning his subligaria for Agron and his breeches for Nasir- and climbing on the bed on each side of Filia. They blew the candles and without further words, they both fell asleep almost immediately.

Agron woke up with the first light of dawn. Immediately his first action was to look out for Filia and found the little girl awaken as well, watching him. Relief flooded in his veins at seeing her here, safe and sound. He outstretched his hand, wanting to caress her hair in way of greeting but Filia, instead, went on her knees before literally throwing herself in Agron's arms. The German let out a short laugh when the sudden movement made Nasir stir on the other side of the bed and the smaller man groaned as his eyes fluttered open. Agron was about to make a smart comment but the sensation of wet drops falling on his bare chest made him pause.

"Hey little one, why do you weep?", he asked as he tightened his hold around the child and caressed her hair with his free hand in a soothing manner.

Filia sniffled loudly before answering, her tiny voice muffled by Agron's shoulder. "You are angry with me, are you not?"

Over her head, Agron and Nasir looked at each other with similar expression on their faces. "What? No!", the former gladiator hastened to say to reassure her as his lover moved closer to them to kiss Filia's head. "Of course we are not angry with you, why would you think such a thing?"

"Because I left", she said, on the verge of crying again.

Agron sat up in the bed cross-legged and saw Nasir do the same before the smaller man took Filia in his arms to hug her tightly. The kid returned it with the same intensity as Nasir showered small kisses on the top of her head. Then she nestled herself in Nasir's lap, his arms tightly secured around her waist.

Agron watched the pair fondly. Was he really ready to abandon that? To crush all that Filia represented for him beneath his heel? Was he that cruel? Telling her that he considered her a part of his family only to reject her at the first difficulty?

'A difficulty that could have cost her her life', his mind countered.

"Tell us what happened, Filia", Nasir asked firmly and Agron let his thoughts aside to focus on Filia's answer.

Filia's face turned red, in shame or embarassment Agron assumed. "I just...I just wanted to play", she admitted guiltily. "I wanted to hide somewhere in the forest so you could look for me, but I--", she trailed off, her mouth twisting as she started to sob, tears rolling down her rosy cheeks.

"But you got lost?", Agron asked, though he already knew the answer.

She nodded before wiping her tears away. Agron sighed. For all the wisdom that Filia seemed to possess and that never failed to amaze him, she was in the end just a child. A child that simply lost herself in the moment of joy she was in and forgot about the dangers of the world. A child that simply wanted to play because it was what children were supposed to do, was it not? Be carefree and happy, that was the only things a child should be worried about; alas when one was a part of a rebellion against Rome, these things were mere dreams and Agron was reminded of it once again.

"It is ok you wanted to play", the Syrian said with understanding as he tilted Filia's head up with his hand so he could look at her in the eyes. He smiled softly when her brown eyes met his own and Filia's features relaxed visibly. "But", he added with warning clear in his gaze, "you should have inform us that you wanted to play hide-and-seek. Agron and I were mad with worry, we thought something terrible had happened to you."

Filia lowered her eyes as soon as Nasir's words reached her ears. Then she turned in his embrace to face him fully before she hid her face in the man's chest as her arms went around his neck. "I am sorry", she murmured and Nasir kissed her temple in acknowledgement, "I am sorry I disappointed you", she added, her voice barely a whisper and trembling.

At once Agron reacted. "No, little one", he exclaimed firmly, startling Filia. He moved on the bed so that he was now beside his lover and faced the little girl. "Never think such a thing, we are not disappointed!". He stared at her with intensity, trying to convey with his eyes that no, he would never be disappointed by the fact of Filia being a child and wanted to act accordingly.

He took a breath, deep and slow. One part of the problem was settled but there was still the second part to deal with. And this subject was far more sensible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long delay but there was a storm here and then some health problems took me away from home :( 
> 
> Hope this chapter will make up for the wait :)
> 
> Still from Agron's POV
> 
> Warning: mention of rape. It's very quick and not explicit but I thought I should still warn you just in case
> 
> Warning: sexual content

"There is still another matter that we need to discuss, Filia", he told her. He saw out of the corner of his eye Nasir tensing slightly. The Syrian dreaded the answers Filia would provide on this particular subject. And so did he. "How did you come back to the temple?"

Filia frowned in confusion while looking at him as if she didn't understand the question. "...in foot?", she said hesitantly. "I walked back to--"

Agron huffed out a small laugh. "No, I mean 'with who?' Did you come back alone or...", he didn't finish his question, not wanting to influence Filia in her answer. He didn't know if Anaya asked her to tell them a make up story about how they've met in the forest and Anaya's presence there. He wouldn't take Anaya's explanations for granted and only Filia's side of the story would tell if the woman had said the truth.

"Oh Anaya found me and brought me back here", she said. "I didn't want to go with her, I wanted to find you", she added quickly, looking somewhat sheepish as if she wanted to apologize for leaving with a near stranger. "But she said it was not safe to try to go back to the pond and find you because there would have been a chance you were probably not there anymore. She said you were probably in the forest looking for me", she explained, guilt written plainly on her young face.

Agron's heart ached a little as he looked at her. A child should never have to experience such feelings and he felt guilt himself, for he judged himself responsible for the whole situation.

"So she found you and you went back directly here after?", he summed up. When she nodded, he continued. "Did she tell you what she was doing there alone?"

Her subtle sideways glance at his lover didn't go unnoticed and Agron narrowed his eyes, his lips set in a thin line. He had the feeling neither Nasir nor himself were about to like her answer. The seconds passed, Filia remained silent and Agron's suspicion only grew stronger. He looked up at Nasir and the look on the Syrian's face only reflected his own feelings.

He focused again on Filia as he asked her, "So, did she tell you?"

Not looking at him, Filia nodded. Very reluctantly.

"But you do not want to tell us?", Nasir guessed.

She shook her head.

"Why? You know you can tell us everything. We will not be mad at you", Agron added softly. He didn't want Filia to feel guilty for the actions of another. Whatever Anaya's motivations for wandering in the forest were, Filia had nothing to do with it.

He didn't expected the child's reply.

"It is not me that I worry about", she said. She bit her lower lip before adding. "It is for Anaya. I do not want you to be more angry with her than you already are".

Agron raised both eyebrows in surprise. For sure he was not expecting this and judging by Nasir's sightly gaped mouth, the younger man was equally surprised by Filia's words.

'Has the world gone mad?', Agron mildly wondered.

First Saxa acting as if some kind of mother hen with Filia then now the little girl was worried for Anaya? He didn't recall Filia being close to the woman, in fact when he found Filia that fateful day the little girl barely acknowledged Anaya's presence at all. So what's the matter? Could a six year old girl be aware of the tension between Nasir and him and Anaya? Could a child so young understand Nasir's feeling of jealousy towards that woman? At first he would have said no but...that child was not any child. She was Filia. She was unique. And extremely -'disturbingly'- smart despite her youth.

As crazy as it might be, yes, perhaps Filia was worried for Anaya because if the reason Anaya found herself in the forest at the same time as them was in fact what he thought, the woman might actually be in need of protection, for Nasir's anger would no doubt find its way to her.

"Why do you think we would be mad at her?", Nasir asked incredulous. Obviously his lover was as bewildered as he was by her request.

"I know you do not like her", she replied as she turned in Nasir's arms to face him. Nasir opened then shut his mouth multiple times, seemingly at a loss for words.

Filia finally explained when she saw the expressions in the men's faces. "She was there in the courtyard when we decided to go to the pond and she followed us."

Agron sensed Nasir immediately tense beside him and he felt anger raising within himself at his confirmed suspicions. The woman had obviously not abandonned her pursue of him.

"She said she followed us for a time before she walked further into the forest to find flowers. She wanted to offer them to someone, she said. To someone she said she held to heart", Filia added, watching Agron with a pointed look.

By that point Nasir was shaking with barely contained anger. His hands were balled into fists, knuckles white as he planted his nails into the palms of his hands in order to stay calm and not let his fury bursting. Filia felt it too and left the Syrian's embrace to sit in front of them.

"Please do not be mad at her", she pleaded again.

"Why do you care?", Nasir asked, his tone a bit more harsh than he intended. Agron wrapped his hand around his lover's neck to soothe him.

"She is nice and she helped me", she replied in a small voice.

"We will not", Agron promised to her, though he knew that it will be difficult. It was more complex than that. Matters of the heart always were. "We will discuss of the rest later, there is work to be done", he added as he climbed off the bed.

"Do you have particular duties today?", Nasir asked.

"Spartacus wants me to evaluate the recruits with Oenomaus this morning."

"Great! This means we will be together!", Filia exclaimed happily.

Agron smiled, glad that Filia had regained her good mood. "Let's go and grab our meal". The three of them then took a moment to wash themselves and Nasir helped him to clean his injured hand before they headed towards the courtyard to eat.

Agron was rather nervous as he walked throughout the temple. He couldn't wait to talk to Anaya so that they could close this affair for good, but at the same time he wasn't sure he wanted to hear what she had to say. According to what Filia just told them, the young woman hadn't been deterred in her pursuit of Agron's favor. In fact, it seemed that the more he rejected her, the more efforts she put in her pursuit.

He exhaled a resigned sigh. He couldn't really blame her, for he had acted the exact same way in his own pursuit of Nasir. Their very first conversation hadn't been what one could call friendly. Nasir had seemed very distant and had barely paid attention to him as he answered his questions. Then Nasir had struck him a painful blow as he had implied Duro had died because of Agron, that if it hadn't been for Agron's selfish desire for freedom, Duro would have still been alive. Fortunately for him, his constant -and poorly veiled- flirting had brought the Syrian to appreciate the German's presence more and more. Until the day when they finally acknowledged their attraction to each other when Agron had kissed him and Nasir answered the kiss with a shy yet happy smile.

But this time there was no mutual attraction and Anaya's search for his affection was doomed to failure. He knew he had to make her understand that, no matter how. All this had lasted for too long already and had caused too much hurt to the people he cared about. For his sake, for Nasir's sake and Filia's, he had to put a final point to this.

As they stepped into the courtyard, Agron's eyes immediately roamed the area in search of the damned woman. Oenomaus and Donar were already there, gathering wooden swords for the newest recruits to continue their training with. Spartacus for once was there as well as he wanted to observe the evaluation of the most promising recruits with Agron.

He huffed in exasperation as he couldn't find Anaya in the courtyard, though he felt relief as well. He looked at Nasir, the smaller man looked equally relieved to find Anaya absent from their sight. They made their way towards a small table were they would find something to eat. Once their plates were full with bread and fruits and their cups filled to the brim with water, they walked back to the steps of the temple where they sat.

They ate in companionable silence, enjoying their meal and the company of the others until their leader, as well as Donar, Mira, Crixus and Naevia joined them to share morning meal.

"How is our little recruit doing this morning?", Spartacus asked Filia as he crouched down before her.

"I am fine", she said as she blushed furiously before she went to hide herself behind Agron.

"Still as wild as the first day, I see", Naevia chuckled.

Agron noticed the way she watched Filia fidgeting behind him, embarrassed of the attention she was receiving. Naevia seemed moved by the little girl but there was also the hint of sadness in her eyes. Agron felt pity for her; the woman had suffered much and he felt responsible for some of the abuses she had had to endure. His lie to Crixus about her whereabouts in the mines but also the disgusting behaviour of Sedullus, one of his own people, had brought her much pain and he still didn't know how to make up for all of this to her, though he knew that she didn't hold it against him.

He also knew why Naevia seemed to have such conflicting feelings towards his little girl. Awhile back, Agron and Nasir were discussing about the children that the rebellion had welcome within when the former gladiator had noticed Naevia watching the children as well from afar with the same mixed look of longing and sadness upon her face. He had asked his lover if he knew why she acted in such a manner and that's when Nasir told him what Crixus' woman had confessed to him in a moment of weakness as they both were waiting for their men to return from the burning of the arena of Capua.

So Nasir told him everything with the promise to keep this a secret. He told him of how the repeated mistreatment from Ashur more than a year ago, then the harsh conditions and the brutal assaults from several men in the mines had made the young woman forever unable to have children. She felt ashamed because of it to the point that she couldn't bring herself to tell Crixus the truth and Agron felt sympathy for the Gaul. They didn't always see each other in the eye but he couldn't deny that Crixus was a good man. Besides, Naevia loved him and they deserved some happiness.

Saxa's voice rang throughout the courtyard as she approached their group and Agron snapped back to reality.

"You say that as if it is a bad thing", she said to Naevia, her voice thick with her accent and a grin upon her lips.

"Saxa!", Filia exclaimed once she saw the German woman. She left her hiding spot behind Agron's back to run towards Saxa who hugged the little girl in greetings.

Both Agron and Nasir looked at the scene playing before them, confusion plainly written on their faces. After a minute of stunned silence, Nasir finally asked the question that was probably on everyone's tongue, if they didn't know already, that is.

"But what happened yesterday between the two of you?", he asked to Saxa and Filia, though he quickly turned his head to Spartacus for an answer.

The Thracian stood up then and looked at the confused couple with an amused smile. It was so odd to witness such an expression on their leader's face, Agron thought. He was so used to see furrowed brow instead that the widening smile on Spartacus' lips was making him uneasy.

"Maybe it is better if they show you", the Bringer of Rain whispered mysteriously, though loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Why do I have the sentiment that I am not going to like what is coming next", Nasir mumbled as everyone stood up to follow Saxa and Filia to the training yard where the recruits were already sparring against each other under Oenomaus' watchful gaze.

"Because you probably will not, Bruder", Saxa replied with a laugh.

Nasir groaned which only managed to make the woman warrior laughing harder. Agron for his part was beginning to see where this was going and he wasn't sure he liked it either.

He watched, dumbfounded, as the recruits cleared the area to let their place to Saxa and Filia as they each picked up a wooden sword and started to exchange light blows after Donar shouted a loud "Begin!". Mira and Naevia were cheering loudly and encouraging the little girl with advices in order for her to have the upper hand against the German woman. It was obvious that Saxa was letting the child strike her with her sword and Filia uttured victory shouts each time she succeeded to touch her sparring partner.

"This is what you meant when you told us good things happened yesterday, Spartacus?", Nasir accused as he pointed a finger in the direction of the match.

"Is it not a good thing?", Spartacus asked back, surprised by Nasir's reaction. "She is bonding with another person, it was something you wanted, was it not? And it allows her to have some fun, something every child deserves."

"He is right", Agron added. He couldn't deny that seeing Filia so entertained was a welcome sight after the recent trials she's been through. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of her playing with a sword, even a wooden one, but she seemed content judging by her shouts of joy and laughter. It was all that mattered, he decided.

He saw Nasir nodding in agreement, though it was clear he did so with reluctance. And so both he and Nasir observed their little girl whirl her sword in Saxa's direction, a frown of concentration now on her flushed face.

When it was clear Filia was starting to get tired, Saxa let herself be hit by one of the child's blow, faking to stumble on her feet under the force of it until she finally fell on her ass. Filia approached her opponent with a huge smile and waited. When Saxa lifted two fingers in the fashion of the gladiators, Filia shouted while jumping in some sort of victory dance.

The audience joined her in her celebration with shouts of congratulations and clapping and Agron joined them, laughing. He wrapped his arm around Nasir's shoulders.

"I have to admit, it is good to see her like that", Nasir whispered to him as he rested his head against the German's shoulder.

As he opened his mouth to reply, he saw Filia running towards them. "Did you see? Did you see?", she asked eagerly, her brown eyes wide with excitement. "I bested her! I am the best!"

"You are , little one", the German confirmed, laughing again. Her joy was contagious and he let the problems that were yet to be dealt with fall from his mind. At least for now. "Our enemies shall tremble with fear in the sight of you upon field of battle!", he assured, grinning when Filia's eyes widened and she flashed him a toothy smile in return.

"You fought well", Saxa said as she approached the trio. She sounded proud of the little girl and Agron thought it incredible, that relationship Saxa and Filia had created between them in only a day's time. Filia was completely at ease in the woman's presence and Saxa seemed to have found someone willing to accept her craziness.

'They are a nice pair', Agron thought, though he decided to keep an eye on his fellow German's influence on his little girl. Just in case.

"She will become a great warrior", Saxa continued. "She must be from our lands", she added, lifting a questionning eyebrow at her kinsman.

Agron blinked a few times. "Uhm, I do not know. I never thought to ask, actually".

Saxa rolled her eyes, apparently not surprised by the fact. Then she turned to the Syrian. "Nasir?"

Nasir dropped his eyes in shame as he muttered under his breath, "Me neither".

"You are beyond redemption, both of you!", she laughed and Agron saw a blush appear on his lover's cheeks when the others joined Saxa in her mockery.

Filia then climbed down from her victory cloud to stand in front of all the others. "I am a Gaul!", she said suddenly and everyone went silent until...

"Jupiter's cock! Are you serious?", Agron yelled, looking baffled by Filia's revelation of her origins.

She looked at him, sheepish, and nodded. Agron took his head in his hands. "I cannot believe it, why the Gods are pissing on me like that?", he groaned.

Another round of laughter reverberated in the courtyard as everyone enjoyed Agron's 'suffering'. It was not a secret that the Gauls were not Agron's best friends.

"I bet it is your punishment for cursing the Gods too much", Nasir said as he squeezed his lover's shoulder in sympathy.

"You say you are a Gaul, yet your name is greek of origin", Spartacus pointed out.

"Mama was a Gaul but Papa was a Greek. He was a merchant and one day he came to Gaulia and fell in love with Mama and he never left", she explained.

Agron was happy to see that this time, sadness didn't contort her features as she talked of her parents. This time, there was only fondness in her eyes.

Then he realized something and he had to ask. "Why you did not tell anything? I pass my entire time cursing the Gauls", he smirked when he heard Crixus' growl and saw Naevia nudging his side to shut him up. "Yet you never seemed to mind", he asked Filia, confused.

The child just shrugged. "I thought you already knew. I told you of my brother, Aggho."

Agron glared at Crixus when he heard the fucking Gaul bursting out laughing.

"The girl speak of her brother whom obviously wears a Gaul name and yet you did not wonder whether she was a Gaul as well?"

Agron growled. "How was I to know it was a Gaul name? I am no fucking Gaul!", he tried to defend himself.

Crixus sneered. "Apologies for believing something could ever enter you thick skull", he said as he laughed harder.

"Do not insult him!", Filia then said as she walked to stand in front of Crixus. "Nobody has the right to say bad things about Agron."

Agron felt things he was not sure he was capable of analizing when he heard Filia defend his honor against the Gaul. So he sent one more jest towards the man, instead. "This is the proof that despite her being a Gaul, she doesn't act like one, for SHE", he emphasized the word with a smirk on his lips, "is smart", he told him while tapping his index finger against his temple.

He saw Crixus narrow his eyes and open his mouth to retort something but Naevia then dragged him by the arm as she started to climb the steps of the temple. "See you later", she hurriedly said to everyone before the couple disappeared inside.

"Fucking G--", he cut himself off, now aware that Filia was one of these Gauls he despised so much. He sighed heavily, he couldn't believe it. He heard the others chuckling softly at his misery and despite himself, he joined them as he started to see the irony of it all.

"Can I go back and train again?", Filia then asked, hope sparkling in her eyes as she looked at him and Nasir and waited for their permission.

"Sure", he said with a smile. "And show us all who is the best warrior!"

"But be careful!", Nasir added with concern.

"She is playing with wooden sword, not a real one", he said.

Nasir raised a skeptical eyebrow as he replied, "Do you remember this?", he asked his lover as he showed his still bruised shoulder. "If I recall correctly, this has been caused by a wooden sword as well."

"She will not let herself be hit", Saxa intervened, "She has skill."

"Are you implying that I do not?"

"I would not dare...Little Man!", she grinned as she made her way towards Filia to resume their 'training' together.

Nasir groaned as he bared his teeth in exasperation. Agron then brought him against his chest to kiss his temple. He knew the Syrian didn't like to be called Little Man; he alone had that priviledge. And Lugo, too maybe.

"Speaking of your shoulder, Nasir, does it still hurt?", Mira asked. "I heard of the blow you took yesterday."

"It is still sore", Nasir answered as he massaged said shoulder and winced in the process.

"Not the only part of you that must be sore", Gannicus pointed out as he walked down the steps of the temple, hands full of jugs of wine and a woman in each arm.

"What do you mean?"

Gannicus simply pointed with his finger the love bite on Nasir's neck that was half hidden by his hair then the red marks on Agron's shoulders that looked disturbingly so like marks of nails.

Nasir's eyes widened as he followed the Celt's finger and saw the evidence of their coupling that were for everyone to see. Agron, seeing the embarrassed look on his lover's face then said, "Don't you have something to do?"

Gannicus sent him a knowing look and Nasir a playful wink before walking back inside the temple.

There was an embarrassed silence for a moment until Nasir cleared his throat. "I should go and supervise the training with Oenomaus", he mumbled as if to himself, head fixed on the ground before him as he walked to join the former Doctore.

"Shall we evaluate those recruits?", Agron asked to Spartacus in order to divert the conversation frow how Nasir and himself spend their time together.

Spartacus waved with his hand to follow him to the training yard and as he did so Agron caught Mira smiling broadly at him as her eyes flickered to the marks on his shoulder.

The rest of the morning was uneventful. Everyone knew what they had to do and were focused on doing it right. When midday approached, Agron had already evaluate most of the recruits with Spartacus, Nasir had finished the training of the less skilled ones earlier and was now busy somewhere within the temple with Mira and Naevia, Agron believed. And Filia? Well the little girl was upon the wall with Saxa on guard duty.

"Let us take meal and well-deserved rest", Spartacus proposed when he saw that pretty much everyone in the courtyard was tired and trying to regain their breath after so much exertion under an unforgiving sun.

Agron nodded in thanks as he felt sweat rolling down his spine. He had already climbed half the steps of the temple when he saw the person he both wanted and didn't want to see appear before him.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to continue to move forward. However, when Anaya realized he was there, the woman squealed out of fear and turned around quickly to re-enter the temple.

"Wait!", he called out. The woman stopped in her track and stayed still, waiting for Agron to add something. He finished to climb the steps and went to position himself face to face with Anaya. "We need to talk", he said calmly, trying to not let his frustration and irritation towards her show.

Anaya stayed silent, her head bowed and her gaze focused on the ground in front of her. Around them everyone else minded their own business, ignoring them altogether, feeling the tension slowly but steadily building between him and the woman.

"Filia told me why you were in the forest yesterday", he said. Silence answered him. The woman obviously didn't want to talk. "The true reason", he added then and that brought a reaction out of her. Anaya raised her head and locked eyes with him.

"Apologies", she said weakly as she dropped her eyes again. "I just--"

"You! We need to have words!"

Anaya's eyes widened as she flinched visibly at the harsh tone and Agron himself tensed in apprehension as he heard Nasir's footsteps approaching him from within the temple.

"Again, apologies. I did not mean to offend you, yet--"

"You did not mean to offend me?", Nasir scoffed at her as he stood beside his lover and glared at the woman. "And what did you mean then? When you decided to spy on us in the forest? When you decided to continue to seek Agron's affections and chose to ignore the fact he has no interest in you?", the Syrian almost yelled at her.

Anaya curled up around herself in defence as she wrapped her arms around her torso. But she said nothing.

"Nothing to say? Speak!!", Nasir demanded.

Agron just watched and waited for her to explain herself. He couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for Anaya as she was clearly afraid of the Syrian.

"Apologies", she repeated with a trembling voice. It was almost as if she was about to cry.

"I do not want you to approach Agron. Or any of us. Agron is mine and if I ever see you near him again...", he warned her in a low, dangerous voice that was so unusual on the Syrian's lips that Agron couldn't help but stare at him with mixed feelings.

He felt surprised to hear such tone in his lover but he felt also a little turned on by it. And Nasir claiming that Agron was his wasn't exactly helping to dissuade his cock from stirring to life.

"Is it clear?", Nasir continued, oblivious to the shift of mood in his German.

Anaya was quick to nod in acknowledgement before she left, running.

"I believe the message is clear now", Agron said. He started to walk further into the temple, Nasir followed him without asking question and they only stopped once they reached their room.

"A thing long overdue", Nasir replied. He let a sigh escape his lips as tension and anger and jealousy finally left him.

"What you said...", Agron trailed off as he approached the smaller man and put his hands on his hips, caressing the bare skin with his thumbs.

"Is merely the truth", Nasir completed the sentence with a smile as he brought his own hands on Agron's still sweaty chest. "You are mine", he let one hand slide across the broad expanse of Agron's chest to rest on his stomach. "As I am yours", he whispered huskily.

Unable to resist a moment longer, the gladiator grabbed Nasir's chin between his fingers to lift his head and capture his lover's lips in a passionnate kiss. Almost immediately, Nasir moaned into it, kissing Agron back just as fiercely. He quickly undressed the Syrian, discarding his clothes carelessly on the floor. He pulled back from the kiss once Nasir was completely, gloriously naked in order to admire the view for a minute or two, or perhaps for the rest of his days.

"You are so beautiful", he whispered in wonder.

Nasir's cheeks reddened as he brought his hands to Agron's subligaria to remove it. It fell to the floor with a loud thud. He didn't waste time as he went to his knees and started to lick Agron's cock from root to tip before taking him into his mouth.

Agron gasped at the sensation of Nasir's warm, wet mouth around him, despite the fact that a part of his mind was not totally comfortable with the sight of his lover on his knees before him.

He had never allowed this before, as he had never allowed himself to take Nasir from behind while the smaller man was on his hands and knees. He feared that those positions would bring bad memories to the Syrian. Memories of darker times when the man was still body slave to his Dominus.

But the pleasure was simply too much and he couldn't make Nasir stop as his lover hummed while he sucked harder and harder the lengh of Agron's cock. Within minutes, the German was struggling to keep his release at bay, squeezing his eyes shut and pulling on Nasir's hair in an attempt to make him understand he needed to stop.

But whether he didn't or wouldn't understand, Nasir continued his ministrations, sucking the head before swallowing him whole until the tip of his cock reached the back of his lover's throat.

Agron moaned loudly and Nasir hummed again around his cock and Agron couldn't take any more. He could just hold on as waves upon waves of pleasure washed over him. Nasir sucked him through his orgasm and swallowed his seed until he was depleted, then he pulled away wiping his hand across his mouth.

Once he regained his breath and senses, Agron tugged once again on Nasir's hair to make him stand up. His lover complied this time and he kissed him, deepening it when he tasted himself on Nasir's tongue.

They pulled away after a long minute, both breathless. Agron started to push lighty Nasir backward so they could reach the bed. The Syrian then sat at the edge before lying down, legs spread in invitation. Agron followed him and hovered above him, kissing him again. He broke the kiss just long enough to reach for the bowl of oil, only to realize it was empty.

"Fuck the Gods!", he growled. And Nasir could only laugh when Agron showed him the reason of his outburst.

"It does not matter", he said when he stopped laughing. "We have all the time. We will fetch more oil in a minute", he added when Agron made to stand from the bed and reach for his subligaria. "Stay here, with me".

Agron nodded and went to lie beside his lover, his head on his Little Man's chest.

Not seconds later, however, they heard shouts of "Agron!", "Nasir!" and "Where are you?"and loud footsteps actually getting louder as it clearly approached their room.

"What were you saying?", Agron asked him as he lifted his head to look at Nasir. "All the time, my ass", he added under his breath.

Nasir laughed again, tears were rolling down from his eyes. "I suppose it is the risk when we become parents. Time is not entirely ours anymore".

"I suppose you are right", he agreed. Then he stood up from the bed and retrieved their clothes.

Once they were correctly dressed, Agron stretched out his hand to Nasir. "Let's go. Our little girl is waiting."

Nasir took his hand, a loving smile on his face and together they walked to join the one who definitely changed their lives forever.

FIN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's the end of the story!
> 
> I want to thank everyone who left kudos, bookmarks and comments on this story <3 This is really what gave me motivation for writing this so a big thank you!! 
> 
> But also thank you to all the silent readers, each hit on this story had made my day :)
> 
> Writing a story of this size in English had been an exciting challenge and despite the poor grammar and the many mistakes this story is full of, I'm glad you all enjoyed it! <3
> 
> Don't miss the epilogue!


	18. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it took me forever to post this chapter! Hope you guys are still here to read it, if not well I understand. :)
> 
> This last chapter is for Solrojo because she's a good friend and wanted to know what happened to Agron and Nasir after the war.
> 
> Warning : explicit sexual content
> 
> Enjoy! <3

10 years later...

“ARRRGHHH!!!”, Agron screamed as he sat up straight, panting, his heartbeat frantic and cold sweat clinging to his skin. The sensation was uncomfortable and his lips twisted in disgust. He turned his head around, trying to remember where he was. He relaxed somewhat when he recognized the familiar environnement of his bedchamber. Something was still not right, though. As he glanced around once again, he understood what was off.

The other side of the bed was empty.

Panicked, he stood from the bed and reached for some clothes to put on before looking for Nasir. Leaving hurriedly his chamber, he crossed the hallway and headed towards the second bedchamber of the small house. Maybe Nasir had heard Filia during the night and had gone to comfort her. But then, Agron thought, it had been years now that Filia hadn't had noctural terrors.

It hadn't been easy for the poor kid since the attack on the temple by Glaber all those years ago. She hadn't taken it well that the temple, a place that she had come to consider her home in the few weeks she had spent there, had been destroyed, brought to ash by the same shits who had destroyed her first home and family. During the short length of time they had spent on mount Vesuvius, Filia had simply refused to leave Agron and Nasir's side, always wanting to have a physical contact with either of them at all times, whether it was through the holding of hands or a hug. Even Saxa's presence hadn't been enough to reassure her and bring her comfort.

Filia and Saxa's friendship had strengthened over time in the temple. Filia appreciated that the German woman didn't consider her as a wounded animal that needed to be approach with cautious movements and Saxa seemed to enjoy the girl's company as Filia was always eager to learn how to fight from her.

Agron couldn't deny that their friendship had had a big impact on their girl and had allowed Filia to come out of her shell. She had started to go to people, starting with the persons she knew Agron and Nasir had trust into, namely Spartacus, Mira, Donar, Naevia, Oenomaus and, though Agron couldn't tell he really liked the idea, Crixus. But the Gaul had surprised him as he behaved well in her presence. He remembered one time as he was returning to his room after a day of training. Nasir and Filia were huddled together on their bed as they listened to Crixus who was sitting on a nearby chair. The Gaul was telling them stories of his lands and the life he'd had in Gaulia when he was still a free man. Agron's heart had twisted almost painfully as he had watched Filia listening intently, a wistful expression in her eyes. After that, his relations with the Gaul had improved slightly, grateful despite his own reservations towards the man, that the Gaul was able and willing to show kindness for a fragile little girl. His fragile little girl.

It had become somewhat of a joke within Agron and Nasir's circle of close friends. They had took great pleasure, a twisted pleasure in Agron's opinion, in reminding him how the wild beast in him had been tamed by the little girl who succeeded against all odds to reconcile Agron and Crixus' relations. Agron hadn't minded the mockery though when he had seen the pride writing all over Filia's face every time she was reminded of her feat.

But their relative happiness hadn't last long as they were forced to leave the temple and to climb the volcano, where fucking Nemetes had caused Mira's death after a reckless move to confront Glaber and his forces at the foot of Vesuvius. Agron still thought the man was responsible for it, even years after the deed. But more than Mira's death, it was the fact than Filia had had to witness yet again the fall of someone she had grown fond of that had broken his heart.

Had her family not been fucking enough? How much more suffering could she take before it simply was too much? Before she reached the point of no return and be forever haunted by it? Agron had known that a life within the rebellion was no life for a child this young. And while he had thought that him and his lover would be good enough to protect her from the atrocities of the war, Agron had been reminded too many times of the harsh reality of their situation : nobody was safe.

And because the Gods were merciless bastards, Mira had only been the first of a long list.

Oenomaus. Donar. Lugo. Saxa. Gannicus. Naevia. Crixus. Spartacus. The list went on.

But maybe the biggest blow Filia had had to endure had been that decision. THE decision. A choice, that Agron had made and still today plagued his heart and mind with pain and regret and shame.

At the time it had seemed the best solution. The only solution that would ensure the safety of his family, of the people he loved beyond his own life. For weeks, he had kept telling himself that it was the right decision, that he was doing it for Nasir and for Filia, for both their future. But deep inside him, in his gut, he knew that it hadn't been the only reason. Even now, it was not easy to admit it. Even to himself.

But ever since Castus came into the picture, things hadn't been the same. No matter how much he had tried to not read things into it, no matter how much he had tried to tell himself it was only his jealousy and possessiveness towards Nasir speaking, he hadn't been able to shake the feeling off. That Nasir, his love, his true love and soulmate, felt something for the Cilician pirate. Perhaps not love, but there had been an attraction. A mutual attraction. And Agron had had to take that into consideration as he was thinking about Crixus' plans to march towards Rome more and more. There had been small smiles, and discreet glances and long, friendly conversations between the two men; Agron hadn't imagined them, there were FACTS. Even Filia had noticed them as she had told him once.

So Agron's mind had come to the only logical conclusion for him : he would offer Nasir and Filia a life far from Rome and true freedom. And happiness. With Castus by their side. Because of course the Cilician would jump on the occasion as soon as Agron would leave. And Agron, in a twisted way, had hoped that the pirate would do so; because Nasir deserved more than all others to be happy, and if the Cilician was the one to bring that happiness then so be it.

The announcement of such a decision hadn't been easy, far from it. There had been tears and cries and screams and shouts of anger and incomprehension. But above all of that had been expressed, there had been one feeling that had definitely crushed Agron's heart.

Betrayal.

Both Nasir and Filia had felt betrayed by Agron's decision to leave, to abandon them.

“I am doing it to protect you!”, Agron had defended himself, voice raised in desperation.

“And how do you plan to protect us if you are not by our side? If you really want to keep us safe then stay!!”, Nasir had shot back, “Stay with us!”, he had added with a broken voice as tears had started to roll down his cheeks once again.

What Nasir hadn't understood back then was that, for Agron, the only way to protect the ones he loved was to bring the Romans to an end, for good. It was the only way, the way of warriors. Tired of fleeing and hiding like frightened rabbits, he had wanted to fight for their freedom and their future. Even if it meant he had to die for it.

And so he had left the next morning after a last night of passion. It had been bittersweet, filled with both passion and desperation as both of them had known it was probably the last time they could hold each other in such a way. Or any way at all.

Both had known it was a farewell.

But the Gods had decided otherwise.

Agron didn't know at the time, if he should call his return a blessing or a curse.

Seeing the look of despair and pain on Nasir's face had shattered his heart into a million pieces. Nasir's expression when he had come to a halt in front of him had looked as broken as Agron's body and the German still couldn't bear the thought that HE was responsible for his lover's suffering. All that he had wanted was to protect him and in the end he had just provoked the exact opposite. Never would he be able to forgive that to himself.

As for Filia, the little girl had refused to see him upon his return. When she and Nasir had realized Agron was among those who had been made prisonners by the Romans during the battle that had seen the fall of Crixus and many of their brothers and sisters and was returned to them in exchange for young Tiberius' life, Filia had simply and firmly refused to go to him to welcome him back. She had stayed there with Naevia and Castus watching from afar the reunion between Agron and Nasir. Even later that night, when everyone was being tended by their loved ones, and Agron was being cared for by both Nasir and the Medicus, she hadn't been there, instead staying with Saxa in the German woman's tent.

Nasir had tried to convince her to go to Agron many times but the German had quickly told his lover to stop. He understood Filia's reaction. She had been hurt. He had hurt her with his actions and thought that her lack of acknowledgement towards his return was legitimate and deserved. How could he blame her? He had abandon her. It didn't matter that his reasons for doing so had been her safety. He HAD abandon her. He had left her, knowing how much Filia was attached to him and saw him as her big brother and maybe even as a father figure. But in his desire to protect her he had been selfish and hurt her feelings.

Earning her trust again had been a long and difficult process. It had taken days before Filia had complied to Nasir's pleadings and accepted to go see Agron. He would never forget her face when her eyes had landed on the torn, bruised flesh of his hands. And his heart had stopped beating for a moment, eyes widening in realization.

She knew what the holes in his palms meant.

She had seen that before.

Had she witnessed the progress of a crucifixion? Or had she only seen another person like Agron that had been nailed to a cross? Either way it was a horrible thought. One that never failed to make him sick.

Agron had felt tears gathering at the corner of his eyes as Filia's own eyes were glued to his hands.

“I am sorry”, he had murmured weakly, making Filia look back up at him.

Filia had then launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and sobbing against it. That had been when the dam had broken, allowing Agron's emotions to flow freely out of him.

“I am sorry, so sorry. Please forgive me”, he had been saying, repeating the words like a mantra as tears were rolling down his cheeks.

They had stayed like that for a long time, hugging each other tightly as if afraid that a softer embrace would rip them apart forever.

That night, the three of them had slept cuddled tightly together, Filia craddled between the two men in a comforting embrace.

Since then, Filia's nights kept being cut short by terrifying nightmares. It had only worsened during and after the final battle and had lasted for years.

Now Filia was liberated from those dreams. But not Agron. No, Agron had known no respite in almost ten years. He was still haunted by the same dream, the same moment of terror. The nightmare was as always extremely vivid and very detailled as if he was actually reliving the moment.

~~~

The first thing he was capable of analyzing once he returned to conciousness was the throbbing of his head and the feeling that it was about to explode. His vision was blurry and he had to blink several times before it cleared. He winced in pain as he lifted his head to take in his surroundings. He was in what looked like a Roman camp as some Roman soldiers walked past him. As he tried to move, he realized his arms were bound behind his back to a pole. He then tried to tug on the bounds and free himself, to no avail. Groaning in frustration he tugged harder one last time but the harsh movement provoked a sharp pain somewhere in his left side. He looked down and noticed the gash, red and bleeding, just under his ribs.

At once the memory of how he received the wound came back into his mind. How distracted by the sight of that traitor Caesar, he let his guard down for a second. A second was all that it took and too late he realized his mistake as he saw the flash of the sword swinging his way. As he went to his knees, his mind was flooded by the thought of Nasir and Filia; how he was sorry for his actions, sorry that he failed in protecting them and how he thought that maybe leaving them hadn't been the best choice.

And then, all went dark.

He was brought back from his thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps. He looked up as a soldier stopped in front of him. The Roman then started to ask questions about Spartacus and his whereabouts. Agron laughed. That Roman shit was strongly mistaken if he thought Agron was about to betray his friend just by asking. Not that he would even if he was tortured anyway. Obviously not pleased by the German's reaction, the soldier then beat him repeatedly in the face and stomach until he lost conciousness. He didn't know how much time had passed when he came back to the lands of the living. He chocked when muddy cold water was thrown at him and he lifted his head up to glare at the fuck who did that, but his vision was diminished and he felt pressure on one of his eye. He guessed it was swollen from the beating he took earlier. After a moment he was able to focus his eyes on the two forms that stood before him.

Though he never saw the man in person, he already knew that one of them was Marcus Crassus. The imposing bearing of the man as well as the determined look in his eyes gave him away. And beside him stood that fucking traitor, Caesar. The sight of him made Agron's blood boil. The blonde smirked at him as they mocked him and his people, calling them barbarians. When Crassus asked the soldier if he had talked, Agron taunted them with a crazy smile. Then Crassus spoke again and Agron's grin slowly disappeared from his face as the words sunk in.

He was about to be crucified.

He was about to be nailed to a cross in the middle of this camp of serpents, in front of all the other prisonners. An example. A warning for those who refused to cooperate.

And panic crept into his gut, twisting his insides almost painfully. Was he going to be exposed outside of these walls as well for the rest of the rebellion to see, like Donar had been? Was a message going to be carved into his flesh, too? Agron prayed then to all the Gods he knew that if it was going to be the case, that Nasir would not be the one to discover his corpse. The thought that his love could ever see him in such a state, bloodied, bruised, broken. Lifeless. The thought was enough to make him want to throw up. He just couldn't bear it. Anything but that.

He struggled against the Romans that came to hold his arms against the cross as Caesar approached him, hammer and nail in hand, his piercing blue eyes laughing with sadistic pleasure and a fucking smirk upon his lips. Agron felt desperate. They were about to rob him of the only thing he could be proud of about himself : his skills as a warrior. As Caesar took great pleasure in reminding him, never again would he be able to grasp a sword; if he ever survived his crucifixion, which he doubted greatly.

He screamed when the nail pierced the flesh of his palms for the first time. Pain shot through his whole body as he took in quick breaths to try and compose himself. He didn't want to give Caesar the pleasure of witnessing his agony. But then, the nail went deeper into his hands and he screamed again. And again. And again. No more pride, not a warrior any longer. Right at that moment, he was just a man face to face with his fate. And his mistakes.

He lost conciousness as they lifted him and hung him to the rest of the cross.

~~~

He was so tired. Tired of having this dream. Tired of still feeling guilt and remorse over what he had done. Why couldn't he simply move on? Everyone else had so why not him? Why was he still stuck in the past? When would he have some respite? Agron believed he had suffered enough for his mistakes and he deserved that respite and live the rest of his days in peace with his family. But the guilt was still there, deep inside him and slowly eating away at him day after day.

As he was about to open Filia's door to check on her and see if Nasir was in there, he heard the floorboards creak lightly behind him, startling him. He turned over and sighed in relief as he saw Nasir approaching him.

“Are you alright? You seem quite shaken”, Nasir asked in concern as he took in Agron's expression. He saw the last traces of anguish twisting his German lover's features as the taller man tried, poorly, to conceal his emotions.

Agron stayed silent for a moment before he shook his head. “I am fine”, he breathed out but it sounded false even to his own ears and of course Nasir saw through the lie.

“Agron”, he sighed, “Is it the nightmare again?”, he asked softly as he came to a stop in front of Agron. “Hey, tell me”, he added and cupped his lover's face between his hands as Agron lowered his eyes, annoyed that Nasir had to deal with his problems again.

“It is becoming unbearable”, he confessed at last, his voice breaking slightly by the end of the sentence.

“Is it why you were wandering our home?”, the Syrian asked, “To try to shake it off your mind?”

“You were not there when I woke up, I was worried. I thought that perhaps you were gone to see Filia.”, he explained, feeling like a frightened little boy.

“Apologies”, Nasir whispered as he wrapped his arms around Agron's neck, bringing their bodies together. “It was not my intent to make you worry, I just had to relieve myself”, he added with an apologetic smile.

Agron breathed out a nervous laugh. “No it is my fault for panicking at the slightest occasion. I feel more boy than man right now”, he admitted as he lowered his eyes out of shame and embarrassment.

Nasir took his chin in his hand then, in the same fashion Agron was so fond of doing, and brought his head down so that Nasir could bestow a light kiss on his lips. “There is nothing to be ashamed of, Agron. After all we've been through it is only logical to have such dreams.”

“But it was ten years ago!”, Agron replied, lifting his hands in frustration. “Why? Why am I no able to get past it? Everyone has, so why can't I?”, he asked with evident desperation.

“Agron, look at me”, Nasir said when Agron lowered his eyes again. “Look at me”, he demanded again, tightening his hold on his lover's chin to force Agron to meet his eyes when it was becoming evident the German wasn't willing to comply. “You will”, he said trying to sound as convincing as he could. “You are the strongest person I know, you will get over this and you have to know it too.”

Nasir hurried to continue when he saw Agron frowning and opening his mouth to protest. “Of all of us, you are the one who suffered the most. The things you had to endure...alone...I can't...I can't even start to understand what it must have been like. It would have broken most men, and yet here you are : standing, whole, alive. Despite all this, you were the one to lead us in the mountains, who protect us all. These men, women and children are alive because you were there for them and they are still grateful even after all these years. You are not broken, Agron. You are. Not. Broken.”

Nasir didn't tear his eyes away from Agron, didn't blink once as he spoke. Because Agron needed to understand that someday, the dream will fade and he will breathe again, free.

Agron's lips flicked briefly upward. “Only because of you. I would not be here without you and Filia”, he admitted softly.

“We will always be here by your side”, the Syrian assured before he went on his tiptoes to kiss lightly his lover's forehead. They smiled at each other as he withdrew. “Now come, it is too early to stay up and I wish to fall back asleep with your body against mine”, he added as he grabbed Agron's hand to drag him back to their bedroom.

“Whatever my Little Man wants”, the German said, amused.

****

The next morning, Agron woke up feeling well rested. When Nasir and himself had headed back to their bed, he had almost immediately fallen asleep, feeling overwhelmed by the exhaustion of his nightmare. The warmth of Nasir's body against him had helped a lot as well to relax, and so he had slept the rest of the night without waking up once. Turning his head towards the warm body pressed against him, he realized Nasir was still sound asleep. He smiled, content to simply watch the rise and fall of his lover's chest, his soft lips curving slightly in a smile, his nose wrinkling everytime a strand of hair went to tickle it; what a sight he was. Agron's heart swelled at the gratefulness he felt to be able to gaze upon such a sight every morning.

Then Nasir shifted and went to sprawl himself all over Agron, his right arm around the German's waist and his right leg between Agron's. Then he felt it. Nasir's morning erection against his thigh. He looked down at Nasir's face but his Little Man was still sleeping. Grinning to himself, he started to rub his thigh lightly against his lover's obvious arousal, eliciting a soft moan to fall from his lips and Nasir, unconsciously, brought his hips closer. Agron then rubbed harder and harder until he felt Nasir tense against him then relax.

“Such a good way to wake up”, the Syrian mumbled sleepily, his smile could be heard in his voice.

“You seemed a little...tense”, Agron whispered into his ear as he rolled Nasir over so he could lie on top of him, “I thought you needed a little help to release”, he rolled his hips against Nasir's as he emphasized the last word, “all that tension”. Another roll of hips that made him moan when his unattended hardness brushed against his lover's soft skin.

“Gratitude”, Nasir said before he pecked Agron's lips briefly. “Now move you big loafer, the sun is up and there is much to do today”. He pushed Agron aside and stood up from their bed.

“Are you serious?”, Agron asked incredulous as he sat up.

“I am going to the baths”, Nasir simply answered over his shoulder, ignoring his lover's question, a lopsided grin upon his lips and a playful glint in his eyes.

“Hmm what a waste it would be to go there alone”, he mused when he understood the unspoken invitation behind the Syrian's words.

“Indeed, it would”, Nasir confirmed, his grin widening as he resumed his walk towards the baths, wriggling his butt as he did so which made Agron laugh fondly and he hastily followed his lover.

Half an hour passed before they emerged from the baths, freshly washed and clothed, a satisfied smile on both their faces. They made their way together towards the main room of their house to prepare and take morning meal, smiling and laughing at each other.

“Could you please see if Filia is awake? I will need her aid with the goats this morning”, Nasir asked as he gathered cheese and fruits for them to eat.

“Sure”, Agron answered leaving the room to head to Filia's bedroom. He knocked lightly on the door. “Filia?”, he asked through the door. He knocked again, louder this time when no answer came. “Come on, little one, you have to wake up! Nasir needs you.” Still no answer. Agron frowned in confusion. Usually Filia was a light sleeper and woke up with the slightest noise. Sighing, he grabbed the doorknob, “I am coming in”, he warned and entered the room.

They usually avoided to encroach upon each other's privacy like that. That's why they had decided to built actual doors to separate the different rooms of their house. Before, when he was still a slave in the ludus or in the different places the rebellion lived in, there was no door to give privacy. Back in the ludus, the cells the gladiators spent their nights in were only separated by thin walls and gates that allowed the men to gaze upon the others : no privacy at all. And during the rebellion, in the temple or in Sinuessa, even though they had their own room, a simple piece of fabric hanging in the doorway wasn't nearly enough to isolate them from the others.

But here, deep into the lands of Germania, they had found it. True privacy. Seclusion, Filia would rather tell. She wanted to live nearer of the village, to be able to see the people that lived there and learn to know them. She had become quite a social person and Agron couldn't be more glad about it. But he and Nasir had quickly agreed that they wouldn't live inside the village when they first reached it. It wouldn't be safe until they were capable to tell if the villagers were trustworthy or not; they had to think about their own safety first, as well as the safety of the few that had decided to follow them in their journey.

Laeta, Sibyl, Belesa and a handful of others had decided to follow them to Germania and they all had become good friends over the years. When they first arrived here, they had settled in a small camp at a safe distance from the village. Over the next weeks they had started to enter the village and make introduction so they could have business with the merchants and buy supplies with the rest of their coin.

Fortunately they had been welcomed with open arms when their identities and their links with the fallen rebellion had been discovered. The name Spartacus had travelled to Germania and beyond, they had learned and the villagers here considered them heroes.

After that, the villagers had decided to help them in what measure they could to settle the former rebels into proper houses. The others had accepted the offer to live within the village but Agron and Nasir had wished to live outside and thus they had built their house, with the help of some volunteer villagers, on the hill towering above the village. Agron recalled with some fondness Filia's tantrum when they had broken the news with her. Even now she still tried to coax them to move inside the village, to no avail.

They trusted the villagers, that was not the problem. But now they had what both Nasir and Agron had always wanted. They could live in their own world, without having to worry about the others. They were finally able to live in their own little world, their world of two, though it had quickly turned into a world of three but it was still only them. It was only Agron and his family. And neither Agron nor Nasir were willing to abandon that.

Besides it wasn't as if they had no contact with the village at all. They regularly traded with the different merchants, selling the milk of their goats (their first goats were a welcome gift from the chief of the village) and the meat from the beasts they hunted in the nearby forest. They also often visited Laeta and Sibyl and Filia was more than happy to discuss with them the latest gossips of the village which always made Agron roll his eyes at them and Nasir laugh at his lover as the Syrian joined them in their frivolous habits more often than not.

Snapping his attention back to the matter at hand, Agron pushed the door open. The room was in the dark but the light coming from the candles in the hallway illuminated the room well enough that Agron could see the space was empty. The bed was neatly made and the window that looked out onto their vegetable garden was slightly ajar, diffusing a thin ray of light into the room. Agron frowned, confused as a sentiment of fear slowly crept into his heart and lungs, robbing him of breath.

“Nasir!”, he called out, running back into the dining room. “Nasir, Filia is not here!”, he said in a rush, panic evident now in his voice and features.

“What?!”, Nasir exclaimed as he turned around to face him, eyes widened in shock. 

At the same time the front door opened slowly and a very disheveled looking Filia entered the house. She hadn't noticed them yet and she turned to shut the door the most discreetly possible. When she turned back again, she went on her tiptoes, wincing when the floorboards still creaked under her. She had to stop quickly though when the broad form of Agron stood in front of her, arms crossed over his chest, face stern, one eyebrow raised in such a manner that that was obvious the German was waiting for an explanation.

He cleared his throat loudly while Nasir joined him at his side.

Filia whined when she took in her Vater's face. “Fuck the Gods”, she muttered under her breath.

“Care to explain”, Agron demanded, a hard edge to his voice, “why you look like you spent the night running in the wilderness and you tried to sneak back into your room in the early hours of the morning?”

Filia recoiled a little at Agron's tone and didn't dare to look at him in the eye. Instead, she looked at Nasir and her eyes widened and she immediately felt heat on her cheeks, flushing brightly and she averted her eyes again.

Confused by Filia's reaction, Agron turned his head in Nasir's direction and his frown of anger turned into a frown of utter confusion. Nasir was looking at their daughter with a knowing smile on his lips and his eyes were shining with something that looked like fondness. He turned his attention back on Filia and took a moment to study her.

Her hair, usually combed into a large braid, was now all tangled into knots and some small twigs and leaves were stuck into it. Her face was bright red, apparently out of embarrassment at Nasir's reaction, there was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead and temples where a few strands of hair clung on to. Her dress was crumpled and dirty and even ripped at some places. Her feet were equally dirty since she didn't wear her shoes, she had them in her hands.

Agron's gaze came back up to her face, narrowing his eyes. “Where were you?”, he asked in a more even tone this time.

Filia looked briefly in Nasir's direction and whatever she saw in his lover's face made her speak, “I was in the village to see a friend”, she said in a rush in a tiny voice, still not looking at him.

“In the middle of the night?”, Agron asked incredulously. “Why and to see who?”

“Franz”

“And who the fuck is that?”, Agron asked losing his patience.

Filia opened her mouth to reply but Nasir was faster. “The son of the butcher, is he not?”, he said in a half question as his smile widened.

Filia nodded silently.

“Does he treat you well?”, Nasir asked, his amusement evident in his voice.

Filia's blush worsened and she bit her bottom lip. “He does”, she answered as she looked up at him and smiled weakly.

Agron sighed loudly as he lifted his eyes up to the ceiling, “Gods help me, what is going on?”

“Agron”, Nasir said slowly as he went to stand in front of his German lover, taking his hands in his, “Filia and Franz are seeing each other”.

“Seeing? What do you mean 'seeing'?”, Agron was becoming more confused by the second. He didn't understand why this Franz was a part in this conversation or what he had to do with Filia's dishevelled appearance or...

And then it dawned on him.

“WHAT???”, he shouted suddenly after a long minute of heavy silence, startling Filia and Nasir. Then he moved past his daughter and opened the front door. He left the house in long strides, face red in anger and breathing heavily.

“Agron?”, both Nasir and Filia called, running after him until Nasir put a hand on Agron's torso to stop him. “Where are you going?”

“Where does this fucking boy live?”, he asked as he tried to move past Nasir but the Syrian had his forearms in a vice grip and he couldn't move, not without hurting his lover.

“You need to calm down”, Nasir demanded, looking at him in his eyes.

“Calm down?! You want me to calm down? He put his hands on her!”, he said as he looked at Filia and the girl immediately looked away, face red and hands fidgeting nervously.

Taking Filia's demeanor as an assent, he barked “I am going to rip his fucking head off”, and he tried again to escape Nasir's grip but without success.

“What? No!”, Filia exclaimed in panic. “You cannot do that. He did nothing wrong.”

“Did you have sex with him?”, Agron asked bluntly.

Filia's cheeks would have turned a darker shade of red if it was possible. She took a deep breath before looking at her father with loving eyes, “I love him”, she said softly.

At that Agron's anger deflated somewhat and he took several calming breaths. “Does he love you?”

Filia smiled, “He does.”

“But you are so young”, he complained. “You are my little girl”

“Vater”, she murmured as she approached him. Agron blinked at her, it was a rare occurrence for Filia to call him that. “I am your little one. Always will be. But I am not a child anymore”. She lifted her hand when Agron wanted to protest. “I am a woman, for many moons now whether you like it or not.”

Agron's cheeks flushed a little at that. He remembered well the day when Filia became a woman. He had never been so grateful for Nasir's experience with such things than that day. To say that Agron was not comfortable with women and the way their bodies worked was an understatement.

“I was not that much older when you first took me”, Nasir added.

“It is not the same! She is a girl and she is innocent”, he retorted.

“But not I?”, his Little Man asked, the hint of hurt flashing across his features.

Agron sighed in frustration, “This is not what I meant, love you know it”, he reassured him with a quick yet sweet kiss.

Nasir's face relaxed. “I know. But Filia is of age and if they love each other, and I think they truly do from what I have seen, then you have to let her, let them enjoy what they share.” 

“I still want to see him”, he said stubbornly before another thought came to his mind, “From what you have seen? You knew it? You knew it all, did you not?”, he accused with a hard glare.

“I had my suspicions”, Nasir replied, unfazed by Agron's outburst. “I noticed Filia's reactions as well as the boy's every time we went to his father's shop, how they exchanged small looks and light touches whenever they thought we weren't looking. But before you say something, no I did not know of her 'escapades' in the middle of the night”, he said that last part with a pointed look towards Filia who had the decence to look guilty.

“Fuck the Gods!”, Agron swore in frustration. He knew this moment would come eventually but not now, not so quickly. For him, Filia was still his little girl and somewhere along the years he knew that he had tried to deny the passage of years, deny that like themselves Filia was growing older and becoming an adult. He had tried to deny that someday, Filia would leave them to start her own life by herself, fall in love and get married and have children.

Agron couldn't dream of something better for his daughter, yet...yet the thought that Filia would no longer need him to guide her saddened him in some way. With her, his protective side had raised again in a way it hadn't since Duro. His protectiveness towards Nasir was something different entirely, his lover never really needed his protection per se, he was well capable to defend himself, always had been. But with Filia? It was different, more similar to what he had felt ever since he had to take care of his little brother : he had to teach what to do and what not to do, teach to count, to write, to fight, to be strong, but also teach how to joke and to curse much to Nasir's dismay. With her, he could be a big brother again while still being seen as a father figure, something Nasir never saw Agron as.

But Filia was an adult now. She wasn't in need of his help and guidance any longer. And he knew he had to come to terms with it.

Agron sighed loudly, “Alright, we will discuss this again...just...later”, he sighed again. He needed time to get his head around all of this.

As he started to turn around and re-enter their house, Filia grabbed him by the arm to stop him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. After a moment, she whispered against his chest, “I love you and I will always need you”.

Agron blinked quickly. Really, she'll never stop to amaze him. He turned his head to Nasir. His lover was looking at them lovingly and when he noticed Agron looking at him, he smiled encouragedly. Smiling back, Agron whispered into Filia's ear, “As long as you are happy”, and he felt her tightening her arms around him in gratitude. Agron squeezed back then released her.

“Now let's go eat. And you”, he said while pointing a finger in Filia's direction, “are on cooking duty”.

Filia actually chuckled, “You are going to make me pay what happened, are you not?”

Agron smirked, “Am I your Vater or am I not? I've got to use what authority I have left til I still can”, he told her with a mock authoritative stare.

Filia laughed again and Nasir followed suit. Then the three of them went back inside to take morning meal. One that the young girl put her heart in preparing.

****

The day went by uneventfully. Nasir and Filia passed the rest of the morning and a large part of the afternoon tending to the goats. Nasir was still teaching her how to milk them correctly without hurting them and it proved to be more difficult than Nasir would have thought. Filia was rather abrupt with her hands and kept frightening the goats.

'A trait she took from Agron no doubt', the Syrian thought to himself.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nasir could see Agron as he kept watch over one of their goat that should give birth soon. The beast was one of their oldest and over the years she gave birth to most of their herd but as she grew older, each delivery were more and more difficult and Agron and Nasir had to stay with her during the process to ensure everything went alright. This time it was Agron's turn.

Nasir watched Agron kneel beside the goat, caressing his hand over her white and brown fur while he whispered in her ear. Nasir was too far from him to understand what he was saying but he guessed his words were meant to soothe the beast that was clearly agitated with what was happening to her. Warmth envelopped his chest at the sight. If someone had told him when he first met Agron that he would spend his days in the company of the man and a daughter tending goats in their farm, Nasir would have laughed. He would have laughed hard. And yet, here he was tending goats in a farm with the love of his life and their daughter.

It still amazed him to no end, how his life had turned out. A little more than ten years ago he was a slave. A body slave with what he thought at the time was position among the other slaves, those he considered the common ones. He thought that he was someone special to his Dominus until Spartacus and his followers came and eventually opened his eyes. Never would he have guessed that by joigning the Thracian's ranks he would fall in love and think about the future. 

Now the future was here. In the lands East of the Rhine he had achieved what Spartacus had truly wanted for the rebellion : a life far from the lash of Rome, free and happy, without having to respond to the whims of a master; here every person was their own master.

Nasir was brought back to the present when he felt a light pain in his arm. “Ouch!”, he exclaimed as she scowled at Filia while rubbing his arm.

“You weren't listening”, she shrugged before returning to her task. “Am I doing it right?”, she wanted to know as she went through the motions with the udders' goat.

Nasir watched her for some time before he corrected her, “Squeeze tighter. Yes like that. And then, let your hand slide along the length until you reach the tip and then you move back up.” Filia huffed in frustration when she failed for the hundredth time. “Let me show you”, Nasir said then and Filia side stepped to let enough room for her Papa.

“It seems so easy when it is you”, she said half in wonder, half in annoyance.

Nasir chuckled as he shrugged, “Goats, men”, he looked at her with a wicked smile, “same motions”.

Filia looked at him confusedly for a second before Nasir's words made sense in her mind. When they did, her eyes went comically wide as a deep blush spread on her face, neck and ears. “Papa!!”, she exclaimed in shock as she brought one of her hand to cover her wide-open mouth.

Nasir laughed at the face she was making. “Consider it practice”, he added with a jerk of his head towards the goat. “Just do not tell Agron that”.

Filia looked at him as if he was crazy, “As if the thought would cross my mind!”

Nasir let out a brief laugh before they returned to the task at hand. It took Filia several tries before she finally succeeded to bring milk from the udders. She then asked somewhat hesitantly, her eyes fixed on her hands, “Is it really?”

“What?”

“Same motions?”, she wanted to know and her blush deepened as she uttured the words. She cleared her throat in embarrassment.

“More or less”, Nasir agreed.

“So...You are not mad at me?”, she asked in a tiny voice.

He looked up at her, frowning, “About what?”

“Franz and...me. Are you truly okay with the thought?”

“Do you think I would make such jokes with you if I were not?”

Filia smiled slightly, “I suppose not”.

“As long as he loves you and respects you”, he said, tone serious.

“He does. He never forced himself upon me, I promise you”, she reassured him with a firm voice. “Nor would I ever let him”.

“Good. It is good then.”, Nasir nodded.

“If only you were not the only one to think so”, Filia sighed as she turned her head to Agron.

“He will come to accept your relationship with the boy. He just needs time to realize his little one is not so little anymore”, he said fondly as he looked at her. “And if he takes too long, I have means to make him revisit his opinion”, he added with a wink of his eye.

Filia covered her ears with both her hands, “No no no no no. I do not want to know. I value my sanity!”

“As I value my privacy”, Nasir said with a smile. “Enough with this goat, grab the next one”.

****

Turned out that by the end of the day, Agron hadn't change his mind about the boy and needed more convicing. Nasir had him pinned under him on the mattress, kissing him while he let his hands map his tanned body.

“Give the boy a chance”, Nasir said between kisses across his lover's chest. “You wanted to see him, right?” Another series of kisses on Agron's stomach. “What if we go to the village tomorrow so we can discuss all together”, another kisses up his chest and collarbones, “like civilized people”, the smaller man added against Agron's throat with some emphasis on 'civilized'.

“Must we really discuss this now?”, Agron asked as he rolled his hips upwards to prove that now was not the time.

“Now is precisely the time”, Nasir assured with a smile as he kissed the corner of Agron's mouth.

The German then turned his head to take Nasir's mouth into a proper kiss. “Trying to make me change my mind with soft kisses and whispers of love?”, he asked.

“Perhaps”

Agron let out a soft laugh against his lover's mouth, “Then perhaps you want to continue. If you put enough efforts into it, it might work”, he proposed before kissing him again.

“I have no intention of stopping either way”, Nasir replied as he let his hand slide downward to grab his lover's half-hard cock.

Agron's breath hitched at the wonderful contact and he sought Nasir's lips again. Their tongues danced together fiercely in his mouth, swallowing each others moans and sighs of pleasure until Nasir pulled away once Agron's manhood was fully hard in his grip. The Syrian rolled them over then extended his hand to grab the bowl of oil. As Agron was about to take the oil from Nasir, the former slave kept it out of his lover's reach as he shoved lightly Agron backwards. The German sat back on his heels, eyebrows raised in confusion.

“You just watch”, Nasir told him just as he dipped his fingers into the oil and brought them between his spread legs.

Agron growled low in his throat as he understood Nasir's intentions. His breath hitched at the same time as his lover's when the smaller man started to massage his entrance before inserting one finger inside him. Nasir wasted little time and added a second then a third finger before he slowly sped up the pace of his thrusting.

Agron watched, mesmerized by the tantalizing spectacle Nasir was offering. He found himself echoing each moan, sigh and whimper Nasir was uttering; even his hips were thrusting into nothing, mimicking the pace and movements of his Little Man's fingers. When he became aware of that, he decided to do something about it. He locked gazes with Nasir and slowly ran his hands down his chest, over each nipples making Nasir gasp when he pinched them, then down his stomach following the light trail of hair from his navel to the bigger patch of hair just above his cock. He stopped there and smiled when Nasir pouted like a child having been refused a treat.

He eventually indulged him after a minute or so, mostly because Nasir had stopped streching himself in retaliation. The second Agron's hand closed itself around his cock, Nasir's fingers moved again inside his small frame and both moaned loudly at the sight of their lover pleasuring themselves.

Agron believed they'd never done something as erotic as that before. Watching Nasir opening himself up as Nasir watched him masturbate was beyond words and it took all of his willpower to not reach his peak just yet.

As if sensing his lover's struggle for composure, Nasir pulled his fingers out, then kneeled in front of Agron and stilled his hand. “Enough”, he whispered a bit breathlessly in his ear, “I would have you inside me now”.

Agron released his cock then and took Nasir's head in his hands to bring him into a passionate kiss. He trailed one hand down his lover's back to stop just above his ass while he cupped Nasir's neck with the other. Wrapped thus in his embrace, Agron pushed him backwards and onto the bed, never breaking the kiss. After several minutes of intense kissing they pulled away to breathe. Then Agron took Nasir's legs, spread them wide open and brought the head of his cock to his entrance. He looked up and when the Syrian nodded to him, he pushed in and didn't stop until he was buried to the hilt.

He moaned as he was surrounded by that delicious tight hotness and even more so when he felt Nasir's muscles clenching and unclenching around him as he adjusted to the girth. He let go of Nasir's legs to pass his hands under him and grab his shoulders. Then he leaned down and kissed the smaller man again, deep and slow, relishing in the feelings of Nasir's lips against his, of his stubble against his beard, of his hands lovingly running along his back to finally settle on his ass, of his muscled legs wrapping around his hips, leaving no room between them.

They stayed locked in that embrace for a long time before Nasir squeezed his ass cheeks and tightened his legs around him. He then broke the kiss and started a slow rhythm at first, wanting it to last as long as it was humanly possible, but eventually he had to sped up the pace of his thrusting as he was overwhelmed by his pleasure as well as the sounds of Nasir's own bliss.

Suddenly he felt Nasir's hands on his ass move and one finger run along the crack. He slowed down and the finger dipped deeper between his ass cheeks to hover above his hole. He tensed a little before stopping completely his movements.

“Agron?”, Nasir asked with concern, “Apologies, I did not mean to--”, but he quickly cut him off with a kiss because there was no place for concern in Agron's mind.

He pulled out and went to lie down on the bed, still holding Nasir in his arms. Now above his giant German, Nasir looked down at him, confusion clearly written on his face.

“Take me”, Agron whispered against his lips before taking them in another kiss. He felt Nasir gasp into it as his request registered in the Syrian's mind. He couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his lover's face when they broke the kiss. 

Nasir was looking at him with his lips slightly parted, his eyes wide open and animated by both confusion and wantom lust. He swallowed hard before he said, “You want me to--”, but couldn't finish the sentence.

Agron could easily understand his reaction. In all those years they had been together they had never done this. Their physical relationship had not always been easy, especially in the first few times they'd been intimate but neither of them had discuss about who would take whom. Agron was naturally 'dominant' and Nasir, due to his former position as body slave, held no preference. Thus their intimate encounters had always followed the same course and Agron always inside his Little Man.

But right now, the former gladiator felt that maybe things could be a little different. And it wasn't as if the thought of welcoming his lover inside of him never crossed his mind. It had, more than once over the years. But he never dared to ask Nasir for fear that he would refuse. The thought was almost comical to entertain; that HE did not dare to ask for or do something was out of the habit. And yet, here he was, almost shy when asking to his lover to take him for the first time. Because well, if Nasir wanted to do this the other way he would have already asked...right? Nasir had never been shy about what he wanted in matter of sex, to Agron's greatest delight.

“You really want to...?”, Nasir asked again and Agron focused his attention on him again and what he saw told him that his fear and concern were unfounded. His Syrian was watching him with undisguised hunger at the prospect of being inside him.

Feeling reassured that his proposition was actually welcomed, Agron reached out to the bowl of oil and offered him to his lover. “You have no idea how much I want this”, he breathed out.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Agron's head was forcefully brought up by Nasir's hands and his lips attacked by his lover's. It was as if Nasir wanted to devour him, groaning as he pushed his tongue in his mouth before he bit down on his lower lip, making Agron groaned as well. He quickly made his way down Agron's body, peppering kisses here and there. He purposefully avoided the hard red cock that stood between strong thighs, instead lowering his head to Agron's opening.

He gave it a tentative lick, ready to stop at the first show of disconfort from Agron. The German shivered at the strange sensation, flexing the muscles of his thighs as he closed his eyes. He felt Nasir's tongue circling around his opening before diving inside. His eyes snapped open at the same time as he let out a breathless moan.

His reaction, it seemed, only urge his little lover on as Nasir started to thrust his clever tongue in and out of him. Slowly at first then faster and deeper. It was so new for Agron, the sensation of a wet tongue caressing his sensitive inner skin, that he didn't know how to react. He fisted the sheets beside him before he changed his mind and went to grab a handful of hair at the top of Nasir's head. It took him a moment to realize that unconciously, his hips had started a subtle roll back and forth, chasing the feeling of pleasure that Nasir procured him.

“Fuck...fuck Nasir...fuck me now!”, he requested between pants when he felt the familiar heat form in his groin.

Nasir withdrew, smiling. “I have to prepare you more”, he said.

“Fuck preparation!”, he growled. He couldn't hold on any longer; it was either now or never. “I can take it”, he added when Nasir looked at him with skepticism.

“I do not want to hurt you”, Nasir murmured as he moved back up Agron's body to kiss him.

“I know you do not”, Agron kissed him again. “And you will not”, he reassured his lover.

“Okay”, the Syrian finally agreed after a moment of thoughtful silence.

Agron spread his legs wider to allow Nasir to settle comfortably between them. He watched with a mix of excitement and apprehension Nasir coating his cock in oil before he poured some on his slightly stretched opening. Then Nasir spread the oil across his entrance with his finger before inserting it inside.

“Nasir!”, Agron hissed in warning. Any more stimulation and he feared he wouldn't be able to restrain himself from reaching orgasm.

The smaller man understood and withdrew his finger. Kneeling between the German's legs, he took his cock in hand and lined himself up. He looked up just in time to see Agron take a deep breath and choose that precise moment to breach his giant lover for the very first time.

Agron would have loved to see Nasir's face as he entered him, yet the overwhelming amount of things he was feeling as Nasir's cock slowly filled him forced him to close his eyes shut. It seemed as if his lover was everywhere; he could feel him everywhere : above him, around him, inside him. It was almost too much but then, after a minute or so of stillness, Nasir started shallow little thrusts of his hips and all abilities to think left him only to be replace by pure ectasy.

“Fuuuck”, he moaned out.

“Are you alright?”, Nasir asked out of concern as he stopped moving.

That made Agron open his eyes. “Do not stop. I just...I fear I cannot call you Little Man any longer.”

Nasir grinned smugly as he resumed his thrusts, going just slightly deeper and harder. Putting his hands on either side of Agron's head, he leaned down to kiss him, bringing their sweating bodies together. The movement changed the angle and Nasir sunk in deeper as his cock brushed Agron's sweet spot.

His eyes snapped open as he arched his back at the new incredible sensation. Okay now he understood why Nasir reacted so strongly when he stimulated that same area in his lover's body. The pleasure he was feeling was so intense and was running through his body in strong waves, leaving his body trembling. He kissed the smaller man again who seemed eager so swallow his moans and sighs of pleasure.

Then he wrapped his legs around Nasir's waist, heels digging in the small of his back, encouraging his lover to speed up. Nasir complied happily and moved his hips with quick deep thrusts with the clear intent of aiming at Agron's prostate with every stroke.

After only a few minutes of this unforgiving rhythm, both men were moaning incontrollably, panting harshly in each other's mouth. Agron's climax took him by surprise, so enthralled that he was by this own pleasure and the wonderful feeling of Nasir's cock sliding in and out of him. Even after years of witnessing Nasir's pleasure during their numerous intercouses, he was still amazed by how mind-blowing it was to be on the receiving end of things. He would have never guessed.

He heard Nasir groaned as his orgasm ran through him, sending waves of pleasure and warmth throughout his writhing body, his cock completely untouched. He felt his Syrian continue to move inside him, prolonging his pleasure. After a moment, however, Nasir stopped and pulled back from him as if he wanted to pull out. Agron then tightened his legs aroung his lover and brought him back against him with a hand on the back of Nasir's neck.

“I want you to finish inside me”, he whispered hoarsely before he kissed him.

Nasir moaned into the kiss and kissed back with passion. “Your mouth spills the sweetest nectar”, he said breathlessly once they pulled apart.

“And it will continue to do so until you have your fill”, Agron smiled.

Nasir smiled back and resumed his thrusts, hard and fast as he sought his own climax. It didn't take long before Nasir stilled and spilled himself inside Agron's pliant body. Exhausted beyond words, the smaller man collapsed on Agron's chest.

“You have completely worn me out”, Nasir stated once he regained his senses.

“Mmm”, was Agron's only response as he caressed Nasir's back lazily. “After all these years you still find a way to make me discover new things. I am blessed to have you by my side”, he confessed after a moment.

He felt Nasir's smile against his chest as the Syrian said, “It is I who is blessed by your presence”, before he peppered little kisses on his chest.

Agron tightened his hold on his lover, “Tomorrow we will go to the village and meet this boy”.

Nasir looked up at him and simply smiled the kind of smile that told he was proud of the effort Agron was making. He moved to lie so his head was level with the German's and kissed him softly. Then he grabbed the blanket and threw it over their cooling bodies before both men fell into slumber.

****

They left their home not long after midday meal and took the road towards the village in a rather tense silence. Although Agron had agreed to meet Filia's suitor -he refused to use the term 'lover'; he was not ready yet to consider the boy as such-, both Filia and Nasir knew that the meeting between Franz and Agron would be rocky at best, violent at worst. The two kept throwing anxious glances at one another before both focusing their gazes towards Agron, who was walking slightly ahead of them.

“Do not worry”, Nasir whispered as he leaned towards her so he could speak to her without Agron hearing. “After discussing with Franz, I know Agron will come to understand and accept your relationship with him”, he added with all the confidence he could muster.

Filia threw him a skeptical look but said nothing. Nasir sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders in support. She leaned into the embrace as she sighed as well. “Gratitude. And apologies for acting like I am ingrateful to your efforts in this matter. I do appreciate them”, she said as she kissed him on the cheek in thanks.

“It is alright”, he reassured her. “I share my life with Agron for so long now I know how to deal with a bad temper”, he added with a smile and a wink of his eye.

“I heard that!”, Agron complained, making both Filia and Nasir burst into laughter.

They spent the rest of the trip to the village in a more comfortable environment; Nasir and Filia talked and laughed together while Agron grumbled to himself under his breath as if he knew his lover and daughter were making fun of him, which only made the two laugh harder.

The mood sobered up again once they reached the borders of the village. Filia silently took the lead of their little troop then and she led her fathers to the butcher's shop where Franz were likely to be found since he often worked with his father.

Nasir watched with a certain amount of amusement as Filia went straight to the boy once she spotted him. The two young people hugged each other tightly before the boy suddenly pulled back when he caught Agron's dark gaze on him.

“Ah...hum...well...I ah...”, the boy stuttered hopelessly, clearly impressed and intimidated by Agron's imposing presence.

Nasir smiled to himself, 'Poor boy. Agron has not said anything yet and he is already fidgeting like he just received a scolding from the Gods themselves.'

All the people present in the room stared at one another in a silence thick with tension and unveiled threat from Agron. After a moment, Nasir decided to try to defuse the tension somewhat and addressed the boy.

“Franz, are you not?”, he asked in a gentle voice, trying to relax the terrified yound man.

“Yes um...”

“You may call me Nasir”, the Syrian proposed with an encouraging smile.

“He is my Papa”, Filia added, beaming at him. Then she turned her eyes to Agron, who was still glaring menacingly at Franz. “And this is Agron, my Vater”, she added, looking at Agron with a pointed look as if saying 'come on, make an effort and say hello'.

Agron then sighed heavily and pointing a finger towards Franz, he said, “You better treat her well or you will have to deal with me, boy!”

Nasir rolled his eyes as he brought a hand over his face. Despite his best efforts to teach Agron to be less bold and straight forward with his words, diplomacy was still not the German's forte. Nasir feared he was a lost cause in that field.

“Agron”, he sighed, “Do you remember when we talked about having a civilized conversation?”

Agron turned to him and threw him an annoyed look before refocusing his attention to the couple before them. “For how long this...thing is going on between you?”, he asked waving his hand between Filia and Franz.

The two exchanged a look before the boy answered, “Umm for six months mister...uhm...Agron”. Then he took several deep breaths in an attempt to steel his nerves apparently, before he hold Agron's gaze and added, “Filia speaks of you and how you are prone to make quick assumptions. I know you probably already have an opinion of me and you think I have in some ways forced your daughter into this. Yet you, above all others, should know what a capable and fierce woman Filia is. If I ever made such an attempt on her, odds are likely that she would stab me to death. You should, as her father, have more trust in her. As I do.”

Nasir was stunned to say the least. One moment the boy seemed about to piss all over himself and the other he was openly accusing Agron of not having faith in his own daughter. The boy had some balls, Nasir had to admit that. He risked a glance at Agron and he saw the same appaled expression on his lover's face.

Then he returned his eyes on Franz who was still staring at the older German with a daring expression on his features and into his eyes, though if Nasir looked well he could see fear lying underneath.

'The boy is brave but not totally reckless'

Taking advantage of Agron being too bewildered to respond, Franz continued his speech. “I love her. Truly. This is not...”, he cut himself off as he searched after his words, “What Filia and I share is not something as childish as infatuation.” He then looked at her, smiling softly and took Filia's hand in his as she returned his smile. “I am blessed by the Gods to know her and I'll have you know that whether you accept our relationship or not, I am willing to do everything that I can to make her my wife and offer her the best life possible. My work beside my father at his shop here will allow me to support her and the possibility of a future family with her.”

Nasir discreetly wiped his eyes. To see and hear such a display of affection and devotion coming from someone so young was moving him. Filia was standing beside Franz, holding hands, and she seemed so happy as she looked at the boy with trembling lips and flushed cheeks and slightly wide eyes. Nasir guessed it was the first time Filia was hearing such words from her lover, at least in front of people.

“The only thing that I would ask of you”, Franz said to Agron”, is to do what is in your own power to make her happy as well. And I think I know her well enough to say that the better way to achieve that is to accept me and the love that I carry for your daughter.”

The silence that followed was heavy and very uncomfortable. Everybody was waiting for Agron's reaction to the boy's declaration and Nasir, as well as Filia the Syrian noticed, was on the alert and ready to stop the former gladiator if he happened to react violently.

At first it seemed he would as he started to ball his fingers into fists. The furrow between his brows deepened as he took a few steps towards Franz. Nasir saw the boy and his confidence visibly deflate as he swallowed thickly, averting his eyes.

“Look at me, boy”, Agron demanded gruffly.

After a second or two of hesitation the boy did so and met Agron's hard eyes with his own.

“You are right”, Agron started to say and though Nasir couldn't see her because Agron stood in the way, he heard Filia's gasp of surprise. The Syrian himself had to admit that he hadn't been expecting such words to fall from his lover's mouth. How it must have cost him to do so.

Agron continued after a resigned sigh, “My only purpose in this life is to protect my family”, he said as he looked alternatively at Filia and Nasir with a fond smile, “They are everything to me and I will do everything to ensure their safety and happiness. What you have just said...Do you mean it?”

Franz didn't hesitate before he answered, “The Gods can take me to the Afterlife now if I do not”, he proclaimed.

The two Germans stared at one another for a moment and Nasir knew that Agron was trying to determine whether the boy was to be trusted or not. Eventually Agron spoke again...and extended his arm in the boy's direction!

“Filia seemed to trust you and I trust her and her judgement.”

Nasir approached then and watched with a small smile on his lips as Franz stared at Agron with disbeliving eyes. The boy just stood there, as still as a statue, until Filia nudged him lightly in his ribs. The act brought Franz out of his torpor and he finally stretched his arm out as well to clasp Agron's in a sign of acceptance.

“Gratitude! Much gratitude!”, the boy exclaimed as relief and joy equally showed on his face. Filia displayed the same emotions and went to hug Agron tightly as soon as he released Franz's arm.

“It means so much to me, gratitude Vater”, she whispered against his neck.

Agron cleared his throat, appearing a little embarrassed. “Well, I was alone against the three of you. Never really stood a chance, did I?”

Filia smirked at him, “Sure, it must be that. We really had to force your hand”, she said sarcastically.

“Come on Filia”, Nasir intervened, “You know Agron cannot show how soft of heart he truly is with all that gladiator honor crap.”

“Hey!!”, Agron exclaimed, offended, making Nasir and Filia laugh. Even Franz dared a soft chuckle that soon died in his throat when Agron turned to him with a glare.

“Now if the lot of you is done making fun of me, I would like to go home, there is still much to do at the farm”, he demanded when the last tremor of laughter had died. Then he turned back to Franz, “We may have come to an agreement but know that my eyes are upon you and at the first faux-pas...”

Agron didn't finish his threat but at the expression on the boy's face, Nasir knew that he didn't have to. It was crystal clear.

“Of course!”, Franz nodded frantically.

Agron then turned back and made his way towards the exit of the shop. Nasir saw Filia hesitate; she seemed torn between following Nasir and Agron or stay with Franz. After a few seconds she made her mind and went to peck lightly the boy on the lips before following her dads outside.

****

It was weeks later when Franz arrived at their house one morning to take Filia to a walk. Agron and Nasir stood in the doorway, looking their girl as she held hands with her lover while whispering in each other's ears. Together they walked towards the surrounding landscape.

“The boy never showed himself here, why now?”, Agron mused.

“Didn't he tell you?”

“He does not tell me anything.”

Nasir sneered, “I wonder why. But to answer your question, and I will ask of you to stay calm,” Agron turned to him at that comment and frowned, “Franz is going to propose Filia.”

“What???”

“Does it really come as a surprise to you? He told us he would one day.”

“Yes! One day! Not today! It is too fucking soon”, Agron exclaimed in disbelief.

'So the day has finally come', he thought to himself. The day when he would have to let Filia completely go had arrived. There was next to no doubt that she would accept the boy's proposition, she was head over heels in love with him.

“It was meant to happen one day or another”, Nasir said, “and you know he is utterly in love with her, she will be fine”.

“I know he loves her and I know she loves him. It is no longer a problem, I understand and accept the love they hold for each other. It is just that...”, but he couldn't finish his train of thought as a lump formed in his throat.

“I know”, Nasir whispered as he leaned against his lover, gripping Agron's arm with his own, “I am going to miss her here, too”.

They continued to watched the young couple until they faded in the distance. When they could no longer be seen, Agron and Nasir turned to enter their home but Agron stopped after only a few steps.

“What are your thoughts?”, Nasir asked.

“This house is going to be strangely quiet now”, he replied as he turned to face his little lover. “Maybe...we could think about trying to replenish it again?”, he added in a half-question, one eyebrow raised.

Nasir was quick to catch what Agron was suggesting. He turned fully towards his giant German and said with amusement evident in his voice, “You want to make babies?”

Agron grinned, “We can always try”, he said as his voice dropped lower and he grabbed Nasir by the waist before lifting him in his arms.

Nasir laughed, “That we can”, he agreed as he wrapped his legs around Agron's waist and arms around his neck.

They closed the door as best they could and once again there was only the two of them. Agron, Nasir and the love they held for each other for over a decade now.

And it was with the utmost pleasure that they basked in that love once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again a big thank you to all of you who left kudos and comments and bookmarks and subscribed to my story!! <3
> 
> Also I think I'll write little one-shots about this universe because in all honesty I'm not ready yet to abandon them all. You know, maybe write about Filia's wedding or Agron and Nasir being grand-dads :o !


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